A Love Worth Defending
by ladylibre
Summary: After hearing Edward's reasons for leaving, Bella sets out to prove beyond a reasonable doubt their relationship is worth saving. Will the Cullen High Court rule in love's favor? A unique, canon-based AU New Moon fic. **NOTE: This story is TOTALLY UNRELATED to "Serenity's Prayer," my other AU New Moon fic.**
1. Chapter 1: Moving Day?

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. And I am still not she.**

**A/N: So I had no intention of starting a new fic right now... especially now that "Serenity's Prayer" is an epilogue away from completion... let alone a completely different AU New Moon fic. **

**But while zoning out during redundant testimony on Day Three of jury duty, I got a little idea I couldn't ignore. So here it is! **

**Chapters should be short and added at least weekly. Y'all know I don't follow schedules well, but you also know I never abandon my stories. This isn't as mentally taxing as my other fics, and I'm excited to do something quick and dirty.**

**Not THAT kind of dirty, though it's rated M, just in case, heh.**

****NOTE: The "Cullen High Court" as mentioned in the summary will not defy the rules of canon** **

**(And "Black Ice" readers, Ed's a bit adrift after Ch19, and I'm having trouble bringing him back to shore. But he'll be talking to me verrrrry soon :) )  
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**Chapter 1: Moving Day?**

**Alice's POV**

"_I cannot believe he's going through with this_," Alice groused as she carefully folded her last pair of jeans. She moved at nearly human speed, a testament to how stressed out she was. "_He has got to be the most bullheaded, arrogant, idiotic excuse for an immortal this world has ever seen!"_

Though she had used every argument she could muster, bombarded him with visions whenever he was within range despite his protests, Edward was resolved to leave Bella and had just asked her to take a walk with him in the woods near her house. Alice knew his phone was off, so she didn't bother calling him again to tell him what a first-class horse's ass he was being.

No matter how much she wanted to.

She dropped the jeans into the trunk and sighed. "_And we're just as bad because we're leaving too." _

"Stop blaming yourself." Jasper's voice caressed her as he entered their bedroom. "You're only… not human."

His attempt at humor didn't go unnoticed, but her smile was limp as she flopped on the bed. "He won't listen, Jas. No matter what I reveal, he is convinced she's better off without him."

Jasper sighed. "And I'm sure my attempt…"

Alice covered his mouth with her hand, shaking her head firmly. "_You_ stop _this._ I won't have you beating yourself up all the way to Ithaca."

He liberated her hand from his face, kissing its tender palm. She fluttered as always but kept her voice even. "Don't try to distract me with your charms, Major. I meant what I said."

Jasper nodded in a poor attempt to placate his bride, and she pretended to believe him as she opened another cavernous suitcase. "Where's Esme?" he asked.

"On her way to a food bank in Seattle. She doesn't want anything to go waste."

He nodded, expecting no less. "And Carlisle?"

"At the hospital saying final goodbyes." She turned her attention to her sweaters, alpha by designer. "His offer to consult by phone will reduce the likelihood of anyone checking on us. Every little bit helps, I guess."

"Em took Rose hunting to get her mind off things," Jasper said.

Alice rolled her eyes. "As much as she crabs about Bella, you'd think she'd be happy."

Jasper understood Alice's confusion but empathized with his mercurial sister. "Forks is the first place she's liked since…"

"Gaitlinburg," she snorted.

"Either way," Jasper said, "this isn't easy on her either."

"This isn't easy on any of us!" Alice cried, "Bella will suffer the most, and the worst because she's human, but this will be bad for all of us."

"I know, chickpea."

"And it's especially bad for me because I know this is a mistake. I know it, Jas! Even if I couldn't see it, I know it in my heart. And I just wish Edward would…"

The gray cashmere sweater fell from her hand as her mouth fell open, and Jasper rescued the Armani creation before it hit the floor. He knew better than to interrupt her when she was getting a vision, but the sudden onslaught of emotions caught him completely off-guard.

Confusion, frustration, fear, and sadness battled for dominance within him as his bride stared ahead at nothing, and he leaned against the door-frame for support, frozen in empathy.

Suddenly Alice gasped, and the mounting pressure in his soul disappeared. And as it was replaced by rising excitement, Jasper watched the slow grin spread across her luminous face.

"Oh my god! Is she serious?!" Alice clapped her hands and squealed, practically vibrating where she stood. "Bella, you crazy minx, I love you! But will it work? Gah! I can't see that yet, but this is so great! It will at least buy us some time."

Blinking out of her trance, she looked at her husband, her eyes alight once more. "Get Em and Rose back here, and pass me my phone. I need to call Carlisle and Esme right now!"

Jasper did what she asked, marveling as she dialed. "You mind filling me in on what just happened here, sparky?"

"I'll tell you what happened!" Alice cried. "Bella's taking Edward to court!"

**Well, whadaya think? Look for the next chapter within a week :) **


	2. Chapter 2: You've Been Served

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything in the Twiverse. And I am still not she.**

**A/N: I am shocked and awed by the response to this little fic, THANK YOU! It's really cool seeing familiar names and also some new ones. Welcome, all!**

**Chapter 2: You've Been Served**

**Bella's POV**

Edward stared at Bella in bewilderment, shaking as his head as if clearing his ears. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." She lifted her chin. "I am taking you to court."

His lips moved, but the words were slow in coming. "I don't... I don't understand."

Suppressing a long roll of her eyes, Bella counted on her fingers. "You say you and the family are leaving because your world is no good for me, right?"

"Yes."

"Additionally, you are leaving because I am no good for you, correct?"

His nostrils flared, but he nodded.

"And you do not want me to come with you because you do not want me?"

He looked away, and she frowned. "Yes or no, Edward?"

"Is that not what I said?"

"It is." She took her time walking toward him. "But I want you to say it again, to speak it from your heart until I believe it in mine."

His hands fisted at his side, but he did not look up. "No."

"No, you don't want me?"

"No, I am not doing this with you." He met her eyes then, and it was all she could do not to shrink from their intensity. "I made my decision, and you do not get to..."

"No, _you_ do not get to make decisions for me!" she hissed, coming ever closer. "Nothing we might have shared gives you that right."

Her chest heaved with anger, and she clamped her lips shut, breathing through her nose to calm down.

"Edward," she said after a moment. "I don't know what the hell you're trying to pull here, but this is not happening. Not like this. If you're going to change my life and the lives of our family"—he sighed at her pronoun choice—"you're going to have to earn that right. In court."

"Court?" Derision hardened his laughter. "What are you going to do? March down to Judge Drayton's chambers, throw open the doors, and announce that your vampire boyfriend is threatening to leave you?"

"You being a vampire has little to do with this."

"It has everything to do with this!" he roared, scaring a flock of birds from their nearby nest. "God, Bella. Do you have no sense of self-preservation?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You almost died!" His hands were on her face in an instant, startling her with their coolness. "Do you not get that? You. Almost. Died!"

"Why would that matter if you don't love me?"

His hands released her face as if stung, torment clouding his eyes. She knew she'd twisted his words around, that he'd never said he didn't love her. But she wanted his reaction, needed his flinch to disprove his lies.

But her satisfaction was hollow as it couldn't ease the ache in her chest.

This was so not the way this week was supposed to go. She was supposed to open her presents, eat some cake, and use her advancing age to convince Edward to change her sooner than later. It wouldn't have been easy, but with time and love on their side, she figured she could do it.

Instead she'd cut her finger, fell into the cake, and was now expected to stand idly by while her bullheaded boyfriend walked away from her forever.

He must have lost his freakin' mind.

"I asked you a question." His silence unnerved her, and she refused to relent. "Why would my death matter if you don't…"

"No matter what I said here, I would never wish you dead."

"I still don't see what difference it would make, me dead or alive. Not when you don't…"

"Dammit, Bella!" He grabbed her hands, jerking her toward him. "What do you want from me? What in the world do you want from me?"

"I want the truth! The truth, Edward. Not this cockamamie bullshit you're spewing."

"You want the truth?" He pulled her closer, scorching her eyes with his fury. "The truth is we would never work! I am a predator; you are my prey. It is unnatural to think we could exist otherwise."

"By all accounts, you are unnatural," she countered softly. "Unnatural, inhuman, and impossible to exist at all. But loving you is as natural to me as breathing."

His face crumbled, softening his gaze. "And I would spend my life ensuring you never stopped breathing. Another impasse proving my point."

"One easily solved if you weren't so foolish."

"Foolish?"

"Carlisle changed Esme and changed Emmett for Rosalie."

"They were dying," he spat. "You are not."

"I die a little more every day." She laid a gentle hand on his chest. "Every second brings me closer to a death of life's choosing, a final fate from which there is no escape. But if you changed me…"

"That is not up for discussion." He released her, a low oath escaping him. "Whether you are with me or not, you are staying human."

"You are not God, Edward! You may be beautiful, immortal, and nearly omniscient, but you do not run the world, and you cannot run my life. Besides which, I could get Carlisle to change me. Or Alice; she has the restraint." She waited for him to meet her eyes, smirking when he did. "Would you be so eager to leave me then? When you could take me as your mate and claim me as you've only ever dreamed about?"

He couldn't hide the shiver that rippled through his body, but his voice gave no indication of it. "As neither my father nor my sister would ever defy me, the point is moot."

'Now you control the entire family? All the more reason to take this to trial."

He folded his hands in front of his mouth, exhaling loudly. "Bella, going to the courthouse to air your grievance would create far more problems than it solves. Surely you see that."

"I'm not going to the courthouse," she replied. "The uniqueness of our situation requires a different sort of audience."

He noted how she emphasized the word "different," and as she arched her brow in defiance, he blanched at her boldness. "You're thinking of the Volturi? Bella, they would kill you instantly!"

She sighed. "As I've pointed out, my death should not matter to you if…"

"You are not going to Volterra!" His eyes blackened with fury. "I would sooner bite you myself than subject you to their depravity."

She folded her arms beneath her chest. "So you would change me to save me from the Volturi but not because you love me?"

He closed his eyes, and she'd never seen him so aggravated. "You do not know the things of which they are capable," he murmured. "The perverse pleasure they would take in your destruction, the unspeakable pain you would endure. I could not… I could not live with myself knowing you'd suffered so grotesque a fate."

She met his eyes. "Yet you can leave me."

"I have no choice!" His arms locked around her, somehow tender in their strength. "We are not safe for you, Bella. _I_ am not safe for you no matter how much I…" He expelled a harsh breath. "I am unsafe, Bella. And I promised you if leaving was right, then I would do it to keep you safe."

"You do not get to make that choice without me, Edward," she said gently. "No matter how noble your motives. And if I must take you to court to prove it, so be it."

His shook his head as his tortured eyes fluttered shut. "The Volturi are not an option."

"Why would I need the Volturi?" Her confidence restored, she stiffened in his arms, and he released her. "I have a better court at my disposal, one more suitable for my purposes. And it is there I will see you this Saturday morning at ten o'clock." She checked her watch. "Tomorrow is Friday, so I think it best if we do not speak again before the trial unless mandated by our scholastic obligations. Then we will be able to…"

"Bella, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Did you miss it the first five times? I am putting our love on trial." He shook his head, and she reentered his personal space. "You contend that you don't want me, correct?"

His nostrils flared as he rolled his eyes. "I refuse to answer that again."

"But you do stipulate that you should leave me because you are an unsafe choice of mate?"

"Does that really need to be stipulated?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, and she waited for a proper answer. "Yes."

"Well, I do not agree. And as we cannot settle this dispute on our own, I must bring it to the court to decide."

"What court?" he cried.

"You will find out soon enough. We are going to trial, and as such, you have the right to defend your position. So assemble your witnesses, bring your evidence, and try to prove your case. If the court finds in your favor, agreeing that you are unsafe for me, then I will let you leave me without protest or prejudice."

He dragged a hand down his face, masking his immediate reaction. "And if not?"

His eyes were intent as they studied her, and she hoped her face was neutral as her voice. "That's for me to decide. In any event, I need to prepare, and I strongly suggest you do the same. Do you agree to the terms I've set forth?"

His mask slipped back in place, and he regarded her with unreadable eyes. "I do."

Bella nodded curtly. "Then I will see you in court."

And she turned on heel and left him standing in the forest as she walked with purpose toward her father's house. _"Game on, Cullen."_

**Poor Edward, LOL. He never sees this stuff coming, does he?**

**Look for Chapter Three around next Thursday. See ya then! xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3: The Long Walk Home

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Happy Friday, all! Let's check in with Poor Ed... see if he's picked his jaw off the ground yet, LOL.**

**Chapter 3: The Long Walk Home**

**Edward's POV**

Edward began the long, lonely trek back to his house in the woods without realizing he'd started walking. Even at his slowest pace, it would have taken no time at all. But he couldn't stop himself from pausing every few feet to turn back toward Bella's house, scratch his head, and ask the question that had plagued him since she slammed her front door.

"What the hell just happened?"

He'd stand there, waiting for some answer—_any_ answer—to reach his frazzled brain. But all he heard were crickets.

Crickets who seemed to be laughing at him.

Then he'd shake his head and continue his journey, being careful not to step in any more puddles and making good time. Until some phrase from his earlier undressing floated back to him on the mocking breeze.

"_You being a vampire has very little to do with this."_

A perfect line, delivered with accuracy and archness. Yet she did not seem to be acting or particularly amused by the admission. She meant it, with every fiber of her confounding being, even though it made absolutely no sense.

"Damn woman. What the hell is she about?"

It was unlike him to speak to himself aloud, let alone with the sort of crassness from which he ordinarily refrained even at the height of his emotions. But today, in the eleven minutes since Bella uttered those six unfathomable, declarative words, he'd used every shred of his sense of decorum not to resort to stronger language.

"What the hell just happened?"

His outburst drew the attention of a lone cooper's hawk, flapping his steel blue wings in dismay in the graying skies above him. Edward noted the shift in the atmosphere and realized if he didn't run home, he might get drenched in the looming downpour.

The prospect was somehow fitting.

Soldiering on, his mind returned to the earlier conversation despite his protests, and he groaned again as the bewildering chain of events replayed with maddening clarity.

He thought he had planned well: Use the worn path into the woods so her return trip home will be quick and safe. Stick to the facts and do not get emotional. And whatever you do, do not say you do not love her.

He hadn't shared these parameters with anyone, hadn't had the courage to reveal just how low he planned to stoop to save her from him.

In hindsight, perhaps a second opinion might have been helpful. Though he could think of no one who would take his side.

Rosalie perhaps.

Alice shared her unsolicited opinion whenever their psychological paths crossed, so avoiding her for the past twenty-four hours had been a strategic necessity.

The mention of his sisters brought him up short, and he came to another halt.

"What the hell am I supposed to tell them?"

He knew Alice had seen everything—Bella's life-altering decision was the kind his sister couldn't avoid if she wanted to. He could practically hear her excited squeal upon realizing their departure had been delayed, and he hoped she had the decency to keep the details to herself.

He snorted at the odds of that.

But if she managed to keep her chirpy trap shut, a worse truth remained.

_He_ would have to tell them.

He would have to face his golden-eyed family and tell them.

But tell them what, exactly?

That he'd taken Bella for a walk near her home and told her the entire family was leaving Forks and she was explicitly encouraged not to come?

That he'd turned his back on Bella in more ways than one and told her his world was not right for her and it was high time he stopped pretending otherwise?

Or that he'd stared Bella down with unfeeling eyes and told her the entire family had already deserted her without so much as a goodbye but that was just as well because she was no good for him, he did not want her and would likely forget her as soon as a better distraction presented itself?

Emmett would break his limbs before Jasper inundated him with a hefty dose of debilitating guilt. Esme would burn his battered body at the stake before Alice scattered half his ashes at First Beach and the other half in Lauren Mallory's locker with Rosalie on-hand to smirk her way through it all.

And Carlisle's disappointed gaze would haunt him for all eternity.

Assuming he'd earned the right to one.

He tore his hands through his hair again, noting the few strands trailing from his fingers.

Another low oath rose in his heart, and he clamped his lips shut to prevent its escape.

He continued his walk home, praying his all-seeing sister had mercy on him.

—A.L.W.D.—

As it turned out, he would have been better off in Lauren's locker.

Before Edward made it onto the property, he heard the cacophony of opinions, his parents loudest among them.

Variations of _"Edward, my god! How could you? How could you do that to her? To yourself? To all of us?" _ looped around Esme's mind whereas her husband preferred the succinct but equally effective, _"Oh, son."_

Jasper's thoughts were more entertained than angry, though Edward sensed the deep displeasure beneath his teasing. _"I'm liking Bella more and more each day." _He crossed his legs in his favorite chair in the library and opened yet another monstrous Civil War narrative, sparing Edward no further thought.

Rosalie's opinion was surprisingly brief, though Edward feared she might choke on her smugness. _"Serves you right for trying to run our lives,"_ she mentally sneered_. "I hope you get the chair."_

Emmett vacillated between amusement at Bella's decision and disapproval in Edward's behavior. _"That was low,"_ he thought repeatedly. _"I know her birthday freaked you out, but man… low blow, bro."_

Edward could tolerate almost anything. But Emmett's censure was his tipping point. He stalked toward the house and, blind with fury, walked right into Esme's treasured ceramic planter, spilling its contents all over his damp shoes.

"Dammit!"

"Temper, temper." Alice appeared on the front steps, her head tilted in sympathy as he bent to clean his mess. "Bad day?"

Edward growled, and she dropped to sit beside him. "What's the matter, Ed? Plans go awry? Well, you know what they say about the best-laid plans of moronic men…"

"Why did you have to tell them?"

She blinked back in innocence. "I'm sorry?"

"Why"—he rose to his full height, towering over her—"did you have to tell them what happened with Bella?"

Edward heard the indignation crest in her mind and was surprised when she only shrugged. "They would find out sooner or later. You know, once Bella took the stand."

Jasper at least had the decency to mask his reaction in a cough.

Edward pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, wondering if he could crush his own skull. "What the hell is she thinking?"

"Thinking is your department," Alice said. "Though you clearly did very little of that before your little walk this afternoon."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. "So what are you going to do?"

Normally adept at running simultaneous trains of thought, Edward felt as if his whole life had derailed. "Do?"

She rolled her eyes but not in anger. "About this trial? What are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything!" He stormed into the house, barely avoiding taking the door off its hinges. "She cannot do this, Alice. No matter what's going through that infuriatingly illogical mind of hers, the very notion of her taking me to court is…"

"Absurd? Is that what you were going to say?"

Her sudden volume couldn't mask her hurt, and he sighed. "Please don't do this now. I know I deserve it, but if you love me at all, please don't…"

She whacked him upside his head, earning a congratulatory whoop from Rosalie upstairs, followed by a weary "Violence solves nothing" from Esme. Edward rubbed the tender spot on the right side of his already aching dome, wondering how much more abuse he could take.

"I can't see the outcome of this case because there are too many variables." She clasped her hands in front of her, golden eyes soft with sympathy. "But here's what I do know: Bella is taking you to court with every intention of beating you there. She is determined, she is pissed, and if you have any sense left at all, you will treat this situation with the seriousness it deserves."

Edward stared down at his sage and stubborn sister, and his resistance finally broke. Slumping to the floor with his head in his hands, he sighed as she tapped her lips with a thinking finger.

"Now, first things first. You need to get yourself a good lawyer."

**I intended this chapter to get a little further into the story, but Edward had trouble getting himself together, poor sap! What do we think?**

**See you next week… the Cullen High Court is coming up!**


	4. Chapter 4: All Rise

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Hey all! Your theories about if/where this case will be tried are great! I can't wait to see what you think of my decision.**

**This is a long one because **_**someone**_** refused to go along with my original plan, but I don't think you'll mind. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 4: All Rise...**

**Bella's POV**

By the time Bella crossed the street and stepped onto the pavement outside her father's house, her purposed strides became more of a march.

An angry stomp, if you will.

She clenched her hands at her sides, willing herself not to turn around, return to the forest, and clobber that stupid vampire right upside his head with a felled oak.

Or at least threaten him with a lit match.

Thankfully the cruiser was still absent, so Charlie wasn't around to hear the front door slam. Or the torrent of fury Bella unleashed on the empty house. Or the frequency of phrases like "immortal idiot" or "inhuman imbecile," usually followed by a creative string of expletives.

Her current favorite being "asinine asshole."

Bella fumed her way to the refrigerator and flung it open in search of the cranberry juice. Her irate eyes landed on the remaining trio of Charlie's six-pack, and she wished she were the kind of girl to throw a few back.

After the afternoon she had, a good cold one would be the right answer.

"_Because the moronic cold one who lived in the forest came up with the wrong answer. The worst answer to any question ever asked by anyone. Ever."_

Huffing, she grabbed the plastic jug and set it on the counter. Reaching into the faded yellow cabinets for a glass, she thought she heard footsteps on the porch.

Whirling around, she glared through the wall at the direction of the sound.

"You better not be in front of my house," she growled under her breath.

The dull, heavy thud which answered her suggested it was not in fact the assmunch to whom she earlier referred, but the mail carrier with a package for Charlie.

"_Damn right, you didn't come here. You better not!"_

Returning her attention to her thirst, she unscrewed the top of the jug, surprised the cup in her left hand wouldn't stop moving. She stepped away from the counter and looked at her hands only to find they were shaking.

Along with the rest of her.

Making her way to the nearest kitchen chair, Bella sank into it slowly, trying to breathe through her nose. She folded her hands atop her bouncing knee, her scrambled mind racing ahead without her.

"_How dare he? How dare he threaten to leave me?"_

"_How could he? How could he try to leave me?"_

"_Who does he think is to do that?"_

"_Who does he think I am to permit that?"_

She raised her throbbing head, catching her reflection in the stainless steel toaster Charlie had won in a Christmas raffle three years ago. Anger, indignation, sadness, and incredulity warred on her face, and she shut her eyes.

It wasn't until she heard the slam of the cruiser door however many minutes later that she stood up, put the unused juice and cup back in their respective places, and trudged upstairs. Charlie gave her the week off from cooking as an add-on birthday present, so she anticipated another take-home platter from the diner.

Perhaps she'd have an appetite tomorrow.

She closed and locked her bedroom door and faced her open window. Though the arrogant asswipe had stayed away since her birthday, she'd hoped he would return to his senses and her bedroom before the week was out.

And as she lay across her bed and curled in a tight ball, that stupid ray of hope died a swift, deserved death.

—A.L.W.D.—

To her credit, Bella's behavior in school on Friday was exemplary.

She did not hide away the morning in her truck, pretending not to wait for the silver Volvo's arrival. She did not spend twenty minutes in homeroom looking out the window to avoid eye contact with the copper-haired asshat she used to know. Nor did she bolt from the room at the first clang of the bell to stave off possible conversation.

Instead she arrived just after the first bell, took the back way to her class, and promptly placed her head atop her folded arms on the desk, feigning a headache. Despite the cloud cover and drizzle, she prayed _he_ might decide to skip today, leaving her a twelve-mile cushion.

Of course, _he_ was the embodiment of "not helpful," so she was unsurprised when she felt him pass her desk a few moments later.

She did not care when he scooted behind her. Nor did the hairs on her arms stand on end when he slipped into the adjacent seat, his cool, sweet scent invading her space like an unwelcome guest. Her heart did not speed up, and her thoughts were not tossed into immediate chaos.

Not in the least.

The whispering around her table increased in volume, but she dared not lift her head. She heard her name and _his,_ along with poorly whispered theories about the obvious tension between them, but she reacted not.

But _he_ must have, and strongly so. Because she felt a subtle shift in the chair beside her, heard a muted velvet hiss, followed by a few awkward coughs, a rustle of paper, and utter silence.

"_It's so quiet in here, you could hear a church mouse pee on cotton," _a familiar Southern drawl observed in her mind. She smiled on instinct then recovered her indifference. Although she did not know _his_ opinion on _his _ decision, _he_ was still _his_ brother, and venom was thicker than water.

Or blood.

Or something.

Mr. Varner brought the class to order, and Bella took a steadying breath and raised her head. Focusing on the balding gentleman at the front of the room, she took no notice of the pale hand to her left, the heavenly fragrance wafting around her, or the traitorous quivering of her body when he quietly cleared his throat.

In fact, her only response was yesterday's parting shot and that only in her mind.

"_One class down, seven more to go. I can do this."_

And do it, she did.

—A.L.W.D.—

Bella turned off the ignition and slumped over the steering wheel, barely missing the horn. Today had been the longest day of her life, and she prayed tomorrow would bring some relief.

The rumor mill was ablaze about the sudden distance between her and _him_, though his presence in all but one of her classes kept the questions to a minimum. The day-long headache she'd faked was her ticket out of eighth-period gym, and she barely paused to buckle up as her truck pealed out of the parking lot toward home.

With today behind her, she needed to strategize for tomorrow's trial. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she exited the truck and headed for the house.

And was stunned to see _him_ on her porch.

Avoiding him all day had ill-prepared her for the intrusion, and her heart stuttered in her chest at this first sight of him in nearly twenty-four hours.

But the reminder of yesterday's events put the kibosh on poetic sentiments, and she halted on the sidewalk with a harsh glare. "What?"

He started but recovered with a taut nod. "I was hoping we could talk."

"We will. Tomorrow morning. At 10:00."

She strode past him to the front door, and he grabbed her arm. "Bella, wait."

"Don't. Touch. Me."

He released her as if her body was aflame, folding his hands in front of him. "Forgive me. That was out of line."

"Right, _that_ was out of line," she muttered as she entered the house. He stood on the porch, and she sighed. "I don't live in a barn, you know."

A few moments later, she heard the front door close, followed by heavy footfalls in the hall.

"That's far enough. You're not staying long." He paused in the hallway with wounded eyes, and she ignored them as she steeled her own. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"About what we're doing."

"About. What?"

"The trial." His exasperation pleased her, but she refrained from smiling. "I want to be sure you understand what you're doing here."

She snorted, walking toward him with measured steps. "You are not only obnoxious and obtuse, but presumptuous and pompous to boot. I may not know what _you_ are doing, but believe me, I know exactly what I'm doing."

He closed his eyes then, and she chided hers for their urge to soften. _" Stop that right now! Don't you dare empathize with the assbucket who broke your heart." _

"Please don't do this," he murmured, breaking into her thoughts. "I don't… I don't want to hurt you."

He winced at his own phrasing, but Bella denied him the satisfaction of her immediate response.

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it." He met her eyes then, and she turned sharply toward the stairs. "Shut my door on your way out."

She heard his sigh as she continued to her room, and she idled on the stairs until the click of the front door, her resolve further solidified.

"_Tomorrow it begins."_

—A.L.W.D.—

Bella rose by alarm Saturday morning and stretched herself awake. Charlie was on the other side of town by now, helping his deputy build a deck on the back of his house. She'd given him a vague indication of plans to hang with the Cullens, but he hadn't asked for details.

Thank God for small miracles.

After showering and shaving, she took her time get dressed, steeling her nerves for the task ahead. She was ready, her ammunition lined up and set to go. With the irrefutable arguments she'd prepared, there was little doubt the court would rule in her favor.

And little room for considering what she'd do if it didn't.

Checking her reflection one final time, she grabbed the leather satchel containing her notes and exhibits and headed out.

The drive to the courthouse was silent and simple. The multi-unit office building was on an unfamiliar street on the outskirts of Port Angeles, the courtroom itself most recently a disco according to the text she received last night. Bella didn't need the details: just an assurance of privacy and the space for the whole weekend. With those requirements met, little else mattered.

She parked in the small lot behind the nondescript building, tucking her truck into the space closest to the far wall. Planning to be the last to arrive, she was pleased to find three other vehicles lined up across from her selected spot. With three minutes to spare, she proceeded to the backdoor with purpose, the text message also indicating the door would be unlocked.

The bleak corridor with its inconsistent fluorescent lighting suggested the building was a broken window away from condemnation, and she hoped the first floor suite to which the sign directed her was more properly outfitted.

And as she entered the room via the heavy wooden doors, she realized how needless her concerns had been.

The creamy golden walls had high vaulted ceilings centered by glittering chandeliers. Tall, narrowed windows were hidden by thick burgundy drapes which brushed the burnt gold carpet. Identical plaintiff and defendant's tables were separated from the viewing gallery by a waist-high divider and from each other with a coordinating aisle runner. From the judge's high bench flanked by a proud American flag to the wide encasement for the witness stand, the dark cherry wood furniture legitimized the space, and Bella wondered for the first time if she might desire a career in litigation.

There were four occupants in the room so far, five if you counted the one she refused to acknowledge, and she nodded to the members of the former group as she proceeded to her spot. The fifth person's gaze seared the side of her face, but she kept her eyes on the task of opening her briefcase and organizing her things, noting the travel cooler filled with ice and bottled beverages beside her table.

Plastic bottles, of course.

A moment later, the door to the right of the judge's bench opened to admit a uniformed bailiff. Bella set her portfolio on the chair beside her and smoothed her skirt, crossing her hands in front of her. The bailiff strolled past her desk with a neutral expression and stopped in the center of the room to face the six persons present.

"All rise!" Emmett called out in a strong, even voice. "This court is now in session, The Honorable Rosalie Hale McCarty presiding."

"**Rosalie?!" **

**Yep, Mrs. Hale-McCarty was the only choice and always my plan. And even if it might seem otherwise, trust me… I know what I'm doing.**

**See you soon! xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5: Presiding

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Someone wondered in a Ch1 review if this story would include more than E/B POV, and it does! Everyone has a stake and opinion in these proceedings, and I think their insights will prove useful. **

**Also, I know SQUAT about courtroom procedure beyond what I observed in jury duty and see on **_**The Good Wife**_** and am disinclined to do much research for this quick n' dirty fic. So if you spot something improper, just smile your way through it :)  
**

**And now, to quote dj071688-Coppertop's review, "Here comes the judge."**

**Chapter 5: Presiding**

**Rosalie's POV**

When Alice summoned the McCartys back to the mansion and told them Bella was taking Edward to court, Rosalie was both amused and annoyed. Amused because she knew her bullheaded brother hadn't considered any outcome beyond Bella's acquiescence and the deviation would knock him on his arrogant ass. Annoyed because Bella's decision would change nothing if he was still determined to leave her.

Not that Rosalie had an opinion on that one way or the other.

Still, when Edward came home, dejection deepening the frown he'd worn since that clusterfuck of a birthday party, she'd felt sorry for him for the briefest of moments. He was new at love, clueless for the first time in his omniscient existence and completely out of his depth. Falling in love with his singer? Only he could be so unlucky.

Yet Rosalie couldn't let him off the hook for throwing the expected tantrum, inciting Carlisle and Esme's sympathy, and attempting to remove her from the only home she'd claimed in more than a half-century. She enjoyed the sunlight, such as it was with the constant cloud cover, relished the chance to walk down a street in relative peace, Emmett's bulky shadow protecting her from more than an errant whistle even when he wasn't present.

So she taunted Edward as expected, giving him no indication of her sympathy for his plight. She avoided him for the rest of the night while he and Alice strategized in his room, tuned out their conversation despite of his frequent outbursts of "This is utter nonsense!" and "What the hell is she thinking?"

Thus Rosalie was surprised when Alice knocked on her door just before dawn yesterday, hesitation belying the spark in her eyes. "I need a favor. Or more accurately, Bella needs a favor."

"Bella?" She managed to speak her name without derision. "What could she possibly need from me?"

"Your wisdom." Alice came closer, her smiling widening with every step. "Your neutrality, your clarity, and most of all, your haughtiness."

The last word got her attention. "What's this about, Allie?"

Her sister sat on the bed, drawing abstract patterns in the dark chocolate bedspread. "Bella wants you to judge the case she's bringing against Edward."

"What?" She popped up and stared at her sister as if she just asked to go clothes shopping at Wal-Mart. "Why on earth would she want that?"

"Because you're the only one with a stake in this who isn't biased," she replied. "Esme is her second choice, but she couldn't ask her to choose between her and Edward. You, on the other hand, have little use for Edward or Bella, making you the ideal candidate."

Rosalie snorted at the assessment. "Does Edward know?"

"I haven't told him. But Jasper does, which is why I asked him to take Edward hunting and hide his thoughts until you decided. They've got a lot to sort out anyway." That was an understatement. "Will you do it?"

Rosalie walked toward the window, gazing at Esme's garden below. She'd always loved this view, no matter the season. It reminded her of all that was pure and lovely in this world, helped her forget how much of the other side she'd seen in her human life.

"What if I don't?"

"Then she will ask Carlisle," Alice said. "Though I doubt he'd do it for fear of appearing to take sides, which would force Esme to do it against her better judgment, which would make Bella feel bad, which would…"

"Fine." Rosalie waved a dismissive hand, her eyes on Esme's perennials. "But I want the full regalia: robe, gavel, the works."

"You think I'd do any less?" Alice smiled, then Rosalie felt slim but strong arms lock around her waist from behind. "Thank you, my sister. Thank you for saving our family."

She was out the door before Rosalie could react and good thing too. Alice's sincerity penetrated Rosalie's soul somewhere deep, making her feel as if the weight of the world had been placed on her elegant shoulders.

That same feeling of import struck Mrs. McCarty again as she strode into the courtroom, the eyes of her family fixed on her every movement. She knew she looked right—the long black robe fit her to a tee and her golden locks were twisted in an elegant updo—but she felt right too, as if she was somehow destined to stride toward that chair and sit down before turning to those gathered and saying, "You may be seated."

She shuffled the assorted papers provided by Alice's meticulous staging, resisting the urge to gawk at her husband in his uniform. Emmett could be silly, but his sexiness was formidable and never on better display than when in uniform. It was this realization which created the need for their considerable costume closet: fireman, army sergeant, brain surgeon, construction worker…

"Everyone is present and accounted for, Your Honor," he said, breaking Rosalie out of her trance. His eyes danced as if knowing her thoughts, and Jasper cleared his throat as Alice chuckled.

It was time to get serious.

"Thank you, bailiff," Rosalie said swiftly, raising her eyes to the crowd again. "You may be seated."

There was a rustling of paper to the left, and she noticed Bella for the first time. Though the outfit was all Alice—creamy cap-sleeve blouse, knee-length black skirt, kitten-heeled Mary Jane's—the resolve in the set of her chin was all hers. Her hands were folded atop the notebook she'd just opened, her brown eyes staring ahead as if knowing she'd curried no favor by asking Rosalie to preside. Yet there was no fear, as if Bella trusted Rosalie to do the right thing.

She did not have to look at Edward to know he did not share the sentiment. From the reaction she'd overheard yesterday, Rosalie knew Edward was one frayed nerve short of livid at Bella's choice, and she would have to work hard not to enjoy his aggravation.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," she said grandly. "The matter before this court is complicated and unusual, but I will do my best to simplify it. Ms. Swan is suing Mr. Cullen for deeming their relationship unsafe for her and no good for him."

"Without her consent," Bella added with a terse look at Edward.

"Yes, without her consent. Though I will thank you in advance, Ms. Swan, for not interrupting me when I speak."

She colored instantly, averting her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I expect this case to be contentious." Rosalie softened her tone. "There are two lives at stake, a family's future hanging in the balance, and I take neither issue lightly. That said, this court will not tolerate errant outbursts or any other superfluous activity, and anyone who so indulges will be banned from these proceedings without a second thought. Is that clear?"

"Yes," came the unanimous reply.

"Ms. Brandon and Major Whitlock." Rosalie divided her gaze as they were seated on opposite sides of the courtroom. "This especially applies to your gifts. Ms. Brandon, keep any visions to yourself or I will find in immediate favor of the plaintiff. Major, if you need a break, excuse yourself discreetly and return only when ready. Understood?"

"Yes," they said together, glancing wistfully at each other across the dividing aisle.

Rosalie was rather enjoying herself as she turned to the plaintiff. "Ms. Swan?"

She sprang to her feet. "Your Honor?"

"Do you wish Major Whitlock to monitor your emotions and alert this court should you become overwhelmed?"

She furrowed her brow, and Rosalie detected a hint of anger in her reply. "Though I appreciate the court's consideration, I am perfectly capable of controlling myself without assistance. So I respectfully decline."

"Very well. Mr. Masen?"

He took his time standing, meeting the judge's eyes evenly. "Your Honor."

"I realize your gift is harder to control, but you are under complete restriction. Do you understand?"

He nodded.

"You must respond aloud, Mr. Masen," Emmett said with more bass than necessary. "Show some respect for the court."

"Thank you, bailiff."

"You're welcome, Your Honor."

"Objection!" Edward cried.

Rosalie sighed. "You cannot object during my instructions to the court, Mr. Masen."

"And you cannot flirt with the bailiff."

"Flirt?" She narrowed her eyes. "I was being polite. Perhaps you should try it sometime."

He clamped his mouth shut, and Rosalie waited as he swallowed his outburst. "Yes, I understand I am barred from reading anyone's mind."

"Good. Now sit down."

He did glare at Her Honor then.

"Ms. Swan will present her case first then Mr. Masen will get his turn," the judge continued. "All witnesses are subject to cross-examination and redirection, but witnesses may be called only once per side. After both sides finish presenting evidence and give their closing statements, I will retire to my chamber to deliberate the matter. Once I reach my decision, I will return with a verdict."

At this, Bella chanced a glance at Edward. His head was down, but from the tension in his jaw, it was clear he felt her gaze. She looked back at her folded hands when the judge continued speaking.

"According to the documents before me, both parties have already agreed to abide by this court's decision, but such pretrial contracts must be entered into the record. Bailiff?"

Emmett proceeded to the plaintiff's table with a Bible in his hand. Bella stood as he approached, laying her left hand on the outstretched Word as she raised her right.

"Ms. Swan," Emmett said. "Do you solemnly swear to abide by the court's decision, so help you God?"

"I do," she said firmly.

Emmett nodded and blurred to Edward's side, where the latter folded his arms. "Objection."

The room sighed, and Rosalie held up her hand in warning. "There is to be no commentary from the gallery, regardless of the conduct of either side." She then turned to Edward, straining to keep the annoyance from her voice. "Mr. Masen, as I have said, you cannot object to my instructions."

"I do not object to your instructions, Your Honor," he replied slowly. "But the book he holds means nothing to me, rendering any swearing I might do upon it useless."

"Oh, Edward," Carlisle sighed, shaking his head.

"Counsel, please approach."

Bella seemed startled but pertly stepped from behind her table and made her way to the judge's bench. She did not look at Edward as he came to stand beside her, but Rosalie noted how their bodies angled toward each other even though their eyes faced forward.

"Mr. Masen." Rosalie leaned forward and covered the microphone even though the entire room would hear her. "You seem to be doing whatever you can to derail these proceedings. Is that so?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Are you trying to antagonize me before the case begins?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Then what the hell is your problem?"

He did not answer, glancing instead at Bella who watched him with unreadable eyes. "You promised," she whispered. "Will you override me in this also?"

For the first time since Bella's party, Edward's face, was awash in tenderness, causing Bella to gasp and Rosalie to look away. The judge didn't see when his mask slipped back in place, but when she turned to him again, the moment had passed.

"My apologies to the court," Edward said shortly. "It will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Rosalie replied with more heat than she felt. "Please return to your seats."

As the litigants resumed their places and the defendant swore to adhere to the decision rendered, Rosalie glanced at Esme for the first time. Her adopted mother's eyes were soft and sympathetic, and Rosalie understood their meaning with perfect clarity.

"_This is going to be a long, difficult day."_

**You have no idea, Judge Hale McCarty…  
**

**Thanks for reading! See you next week with opening statements :-) **


	6. Chapter 6: Opening Statements

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**So… **_**isolde1224**_** has petitioned this court for longer chapters and more frequent updates. I appreciate your enthusiasm, truly! But the only way I can commit to this story is with shortish chapters and weekly updates. So I must reluctantly deny your request. But thanks for the support! xoxo  
**

**Speaking of support, my first completed fic, "Serenity's Prayer," has been nominated for Top Ten Completed Fics - June 2013! Vote today through August 1st, once per day: twifanfictionrecs dot com slash category slash top-ten-fics slash top-ten-completed-fics-jun-2013. THANK YOU! **

**Now back to the action…**

**Chapter 6: Opening Statements**

**Jasper's POV**

Jasper held his head in his hands and tried to concentrate. Though his was a subtle gift, he was best able to control it by isolating a minor emotion and focusing all his attention on identifying it.

But in this room on this day with the lives of the Cullen clan hanging fitfully in the balance, the exercise was nearly impossible. Every sense was heightened today, every feeling cresting toward its peak, and there were no gradations in which to rest.

So he was forced to feel it all: Emmett's incredulity, Alice's muted excitement, Esme's concern, Carlisle's caution, Rosalie's severity, and Edward and Bella's everything.

"_Amazing," _ he thought to himself. _"Even on opposite sides, they are still in sync."_

Emmett had returned to his place beside the judge's bench after Edward swore his allegiance to the court's decision, and now Rosalie would have to get about the business of beginning this trial.

The trial of a lifetime.

Jasper understood his wife's euphoria at Bella's decision to take Edward to court. He knew she believed so strongly in her brother's love for the human girl that nothing short of the apocalypse could tear them apart. Edward, she believed, only needed time to see that.

Jasper wasn't so sure.

He knew Edward loved Bella. He could see that coming a mile off even without the benefit of his wife's predictions. It was fated, too cruel not to happen to an unsuspecting Edward, and could not be avoided.

But he also knew Edward feared Bella, a fear running strong and parallel to that love, a fear which would destroy them if Edward could not destroy it.

If this trial were any indication, fear was winning.

As Rosalie continued her instructions to Edward and Bella, instructions made necessary by their decision to defend themselves in court, Jasper realized he had little right to his own feelings on the subject as his actions the other night brought them to this perilous place.

Across the aisle, his wife hissed at him under her breath. At times, he wondered if she were also a telepathic empath where he was concerned, for she often knew his feelings before he had the chance to feel them. Her gift gave her decisions in advance, this was true. But Jasper would never _decide_ to feel so wretched. He would never wish his self-loathing and guilt on anyone, let alone himself.

Alice sent him a confounding wave of disapproval and sympathy, asking him to disembark from his current train of thought. But he could not—no matter what she thought or Esme said or Carlisle insisted or Emmett joked or Rosalie felt, it was his lack of self-control that shoved Bella into that table and might cost their family what they valued most.

Edward sighed from his position in front of Jasper, and a corresponding flare of annoyance came his way. They had not properly spoken since the party, aside from a four-word conversation late last night, and from the tenor of Edward's emotions, he had no intention of letting Jasper off the hook for what he did.

For if Edward did that, Edward would also have to pardon himself.

And that he could never do.

So this was Jasper's way of making amends, his apology in action. He would continue to blame himself as long as Edward did so as to give his brother a literal partner in crime. It was the best he could do for Edward at this point, the worst thing he could do in Alice's eyes, and therein lay the reason they now sat on opposite sides of the room. She sent him another wave of emotion, seeking to woo him to her side.

"Come over to the side of right," she'd said when they got out of the car this morning.

"Right is relative, cricket," he'd replied. "And in this case, we might both be right."

"Ms. Swan." Rosalie drew Jasper's attention back to the proceedings. "You may give your opening statement."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Bella rose with purpose and walked toward the center of the room. Though she was nervous, her confidence and indignation competed for dominance, either emotion a valuable asset right now. And as she fixed her glare on the defendant, Jasper felt Edward's anxiety spike.

This was going to be a shame.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen." She smiled brightly, though there was a hint of bitterness in it. "I think we all know why we're here, but let me clarify just in case. We are here because on Thursday of this week, that man"—she pointed an accusing finger at Edward—"made some downright scandalous assertions about our relationship. He said I am no good for him nor him for me. That his world is unsafe for me, and he is weary of pretending otherwise. That he does not love me and has no…"

"Objection!" Edward was on his feet, though he softened his voice when he spoke again. "I never said I didn't love you."

"Mr. Masen, do not address opposing counsel," Rosalie said. "And please wait your turn to speak. That objection is overruled."

He took his seat with another pleading look at Bella, and she raised her chin and turned away as Rosalie bade her continue. "He said he does not love me, does not want me, and evidently does not care what could happen to me in his absence as he will soon be easily distracted."

She dragged out the word, leaving no illusions about the implication, and Jasper couldn't help but glance at Edward. He shook his head as he folded his hands and looked down, the sheer variety of his emotions giving Jasper a headache.

"So my purpose here is simple," Bella said. "To show Mr. Masen is blasphemously wrong. That we are good for each other. That he is the reason I am alive and safe. And that a love like ours is stronger than anything." Her voice caught on the last word, but she masked it behind a cough. "And most of all, that the worst thing that could possibly happen is for us to be apart." She looked at him again, her eyes blazing with determination. "Ever." Realizing he would not look up, she turned back to the courtroom. "Thank you."

Alice and Emmett burst into applause, and Rosalie banged the gavel on the wooden sound block, pulverizing it on contact. "Crap," she muttered, causing Alice to giggle.

"Okay, okay." Rosalie held up her hands, trying to restore order. "One, Ms. Brandon, you are not allowed to clap after opening statements or any other part of the trial for that matter. You are to remain quiet and respectful at all times."

"Sorry, Your Honor," she said, sounding anything but.

"Nor," Rosalie continued hotly, "are you ever permitted to laugh at me. For any reason."

"My apologies, Madame," Alice replied. "It will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't." She lightened her voice as she faced Bella. "Ms. Swan, you may return to your seat, thank you." Bella curtsied then rushed to her seat, reaching into the cooler for a bottle of water.

"And Mr. McCarty." Rosalie's voice was stern. "As an officer of the court, you are not allowed to react to the proceedings in any way. You are to be neutral and free of bias. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." Emmett's desire crested at Rosalie's reprimand, and Jasper focused on an image of Emmett in drag to tamper those feelings. The last thing this room needed was an outbreak of lust from the judge and the officer.

"And get me a new one of… these." She scooped what was now sawdust in her hands, tossing it to the floor. "Preferably one that doesn't break at the slightest touch."

"Yes, Your Honor." Emmett was out of the room and back before Bella could replace the cap on her water, the new sound block properly placed. Rosalie tapped it with the gavel for good measure, and satisfied it wouldn't shatter, she turned to Edward. "Mr. Masen, your opening statement, please."

Edward kept his eyes down as he walked around his table. He did not pause in the center of the courtroom as Bella had, choosing instead to plant himself directly in front of her. She huffed, though Jasper recognized her annoyance was forced, and Edward raised his head, waiting for her to meet his gaze.

"Mr. Masen," Rosalie prompted. "You may begin."

"In a moment, Your Honor."

Bella looked up then, scanning Edward's eyes as he studied hers. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he murmured, anxiety rolling off him and making everyone uncomfortable.

Everyone except Bella.

She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "Do proceed, counselor."

He sighed, nodding once. "As you wish."

With a parting look, he walked toward the other side of the room, his steps measured. The anticipation nearly suffocated Jasper, and he fisted his hands at his sides to keep from crying out in impatience.

"Many things are believed of me," Edward began, his voice low and controlled. "Some of which are true, some true but misleading out of context. And others," he glanced toward the plaintiff's side of the room. "Outright false."

He placed his hands behind his back as he paced. "But most of that, like much of everything else, is my fault. I have often explained myself poorly if at all, leaving those who know me with scant speculations regarding my true intent. That ends now.

"You have heard Ms. Swan's opening statement, her recitation of my accusations." Here he paused, his brow furrowing. "And though she misquoted me regarding my feelings for her, the rest of her assertions are accurate. I did say those things, meant those things, but not for the reasons she gave."

He took another circular path around the central rug, and Rosalie raised her gavel as if preparing to strike. Then as if resolved, Edward turned again to the gallery.

"Besides Ms. Swan, assembled here are the remaining members of the Cullen clan. Six individuals neatly divided into three couples: the Whitlocks, the McCartys, and the Cullens." He looked each person in the eye. "By nature, the mated vampire relationship is a covenant, a blood covenant if you will pardon the terrible pun. A covenant demanding, above all else, the protection of one's mate. Even if from oneself.

"My aim today, though I take no pleasure in the enterprise, is two-fold. One, to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that by the nature of the mated relationship between Ms. Swan and myself, and regardless of any other considerations, no matter how noble, leaving her to keep her safe is my only recourse.

"And two, that anyone of you, so mated as I, would make the same choice under similar circumstances. That if your presence meant the eventual, unpreventable, immutable death of your mate," he let the words sink in before continuing, "you would leave without delay or deliberation, valuing your mate's life above everything else, including your own happiness.

"By the time I finish my case, this court will have no choice but to conclude that my leaving Ms. Swan is the only right decision as mandated not only by the mated covenant but more powerfully by love itself."

Edward did not thank the court as he took his seat, but this was not a time for gratitude or gentility. This was a time for loin-girding and wagon-circling. For while Bella kept the case about her and Edward alone, Edward did the opposite, throwing down the gauntlet by playing the only card in his hand with a fighting chance of winning.

The mate card.

It was the only thing stronger in this crowd than the bonds of family. And Edward well knew it.

In silence, six vampires regarded Edward with an intense mix of resentment and apprehension, and Jasper winced under the weight of it all. Rubbing his temples in vain for relief, he kept his head down as he waited for Rosalie's next words.

"Ms. Swan." The judge cleared her throat, as her emotions were as jumbled as everyone else's. "You may call your first witness."

Another few moments of silence passed before Bella responded. Of everyone in the room, she was clearly the most shaken by Edward's speech, though she tried her hardest not to show it. And as she slowly came to her feet and glanced at the defendant from across the room, Jasper understood why Edward had been so reluctant to begin.

To keep Bella safe, Edward might have to destroy them all.

And he was just afraid enough to do it.

**What do we think of their opening statements? And who will be Bella's first witness? Tune in next week to find out! xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7: First Witness

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Thank you for supporting my little jury duty fic! As **_**twihardhick29**_** so perfectly put it, "okay, so we are talking about fictional characters, but this is serious!" It most certainly is serious, and I am so touched you all are taking this trial as seriously as I am… even as we laugh a bit along the way :)  
**

**And I know I have not been good with replying to reviews, but I'll do better this time. I promise!**

**Now y'all had some good guesses on Bella's first witness! Let's see if you were right…**

**Chapter 7: First Witness**

**Esme's POV**

Esme had survived some difficult situations. An abusive marriage, the death of her son, her own suicide.

The physical pain of her eternal change.

But she would do it all again, all at once, to spare her family the agony it was in now. Though everyone did their best to hide it, each and every member of the Cullen clan was perched on the edge of devastation after hearing the opening statements from Bella and Edward.

Esme would never pick sides, though for the sake of sitting beside her husband, she'd had to sit behind the defendant. But she felt they were both right and both wrong, and that equally. Love was not something you put on trial. It was something you held in your hands carefully and with respect, cherishing its perpetuity above all else. She knew Bella and Edward thought they were doing just that, but she could not agree with their methods. No matter how dire or unique their circumstances, there had to be a better way to go about it.

Though for the life of her, Esme couldn't readily say what that was.

She looked across the room to where Bella had risen to announce her first witness. Bella seemed nervous for the first time during the proceedings, and Esme's heart ached to reach out in a sign of support.

But Bella and Edward were on opposite sides today, and supporting Bella meant rejecting Edward, and Esme was wholly incapable of that.

So she gripped Carlisle's hand a little tighter and prayed again for divine intervention.

"Ms. Swan," Rosalie repeated. "Are you ready to call your first witness?"

"I am, Your Honor," Bella said, though it sounded like a question. "Though I believe I might need to approach the bench first."

Rosalie's brow furrowed, and Esme stole a glance at an unusually stoic Alice. "Why don't you call the witness first?"

Bella sighed and shook her head slightly. "In that case, I call Angela Weber to the stand."

The girl's first name had barely left her mouth before Edward was on his feet. "Objection! Do I really need to state the reasons why?"

"Ms. Swan." Rosalie's voice hardened. "Are you proposing to bring a human into these proceedings? Knowing the penalty you will unleash on everyone present? Is that your idea of protecting your relationship with Edward?"

"Mr. Masen."

"What?" Rosalie roared.

Bella cleared her throat. "In court, you should refer to him as 'Mr. Masen.' And if you would let me approach, I could explain my reasoning."

Rosalie's nostrils flared as she stared down at Bella, and Esme was proud of how newest daughter stood her ground against her first. "Fine," Rosalie hissed. "Counselors, approach."

Esme wrested her hands from Carlisle, preferring to wring them in her own lap. She didn't know what Bella could be thinking, bringing an innocent like Angela Weber into this unusual situation. But Bella loved Edward, so Esme held on to that, as it was the only thing that always made sense.

"Explain yourself," Rosalie snapped at Bella.

"This case is about how Mr. Masen's life affects mine and vice versa," Bella said. "Ms. Weber is a vital witness to that effect."

"As I told her before," Edward said through clenched teeth, "She cannot jeopardize our secrecy for the sake of proving a point."

"And as I have told you more than once," Bella retorted, "I know what I'm doing. I have never put _our_ family's safety at risk, and I wouldn't dare start now. Ms. Weber believes the McCartys are putting on a mock trial to test some sociological theory about the effect of unusual stress on family dynamics."

"What?" Rosalie cried. "Is she dumb enough to believe that?"

"It is not a matter of intelligence," Bella contested hotly, "and I will thank Your Honor not to insult my kind in the interest of protecting yours."

Rosalie raised her head. "Alice!"

"Angela does not and will not suspect anything," Alice replied immediately. "As long as some people control their tempers."

Rosalie ignored the jibe. "You swear on Chief Swan's life you will tread carefully?"

"I swear on Edward's," Bella said, and Esme laid a hand against her silent heart. _"Look how she loves him even now!"_

"Then I will allow the witness." She turned to Edward. "This one time, I want you to monitor her thoughts and alert us at once if she becomes suspicious. Jasper!"

"If it comes down to it, she'll think this was a dream by the time I'm finished," he replied.

"None of this will be necessary if you all just act normal," Bella sighed. "You have been fooling humans every day for decades. Why should today be any different?"

"We couldn't fool you," Edward muttered.

"I could see through your pretenses." She looked at him. "Wasn't that one of the things you loved about me?"

Edward started, his eyes widening with some unreadable emotion. Esme reached for Carlisle's hand, clamping her mouth shut to keep from commenting.

"Ms. Swan and Mr. Masen, please refrain from addressing each other." Rosalie shook her head and looked at Emmett. "Mr. McCarty, I smell Ms. Weber in the parking lot. Please retrieve her."

"Yes, Your Honor." He strutted up the center aisle to exit the courtroom, and Esme envied his ability to find the joy in this untenable situation. She hoped she would learn to do the same.

"Ms. Swan, you are on a very tight leash," Rosalie warned as she sent them back to their seats.

"Understood, Your Honor. Thank you."

Esme watched as Edward returned to his table, and his broken posture broke her heart. _"Just talk to her, son," _she thought. _"There's still time before anyone has to testify."_

Without turning around, Edward shook his head once. Esme couldn't be sure if he was responding to her or something else, but the resolution in the gesture convinced her to let him be.

For now.

A minute later, the rear doors opened, and Angela Weber entered the courtroom. Esme smiled at her bemused expression and reminded her family in a subhuman whisper to relax.

Emmett needed no such prompting, whistling his way to the front of the room and taking Angela's hand as he led her to the stand.

"Place your left hand on the Bible," he said in an extra serious voice which made Alice laugh. "And raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

Angela glanced at Bella before replying, "I do."

"Please be seated." He waited for Angela to sit down before bowing stiffly and marching to his original position. Rosalie covered her mouth to keep from laughing at her husband's antics, and Esme noticed Jasper's nod of satisfaction.

So far, so good.

"You may begin, Ms. Swan."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Bella walked to the witness stand with her notepad in hand. "Good morning, Ms. Weber."

"Good morning!"

"I am sure you have other things you could be doing on a Saturday morning," Bella smiled. "So thank you for coming."

"Oh, no problem, Bella!" Angela's cheeks flamed, and she cleared her throat. "I mean, yes. Thank you for inviting me, Ms. Swan."

"Now, let's get right to it. Why did I ask you here today?"

"Um…" She glanced at the judge's bench. "Because Rosalie and Emmett are doing an experiment to see how families behave in stressful situations. Which is so cool, by the way! I can't wait to go to college! Uh, I mean… Um, ma'am. I'm sorry."

"You're doing fine," Bella nodded. "And when I asked you to come, did I give any indication of what the trial was about?"

"No. Just that you and Edward were playing the plaintiff and defendant, respectively."

"Did I tell you how to answer the questions?"

"No."

"Did I promise you any compensation in exchange for your testimony?"

"You offered to drive me here in case I couldn't get the car today," she said. "Does that count?"

They both looked to Rosalie who shook her head. "Then, no," Angela replied."

"And do you have any ill feelings toward myself or Mr. Masen that would…"

"Masen?" Angela asked.

"Uh, yes," Rosalie replied. "We decided not to use our adoptive last names because there were so many of us involved. So Edward is Mr. Masen, and I am Judge Hale."

"Oh. That makes sense." Angela turned back to Bella. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's all right. I should have explained that before we began." Bella looked at her notepad. "Now, Ms. Weber. How long have you known me?"

Angela looked up in thought. "Since your first day at Forks High."

"And long would that be?"

"About six months."

"And how would you describe me when I first came to school?"

"Kind, smart, pretty," Angela smiled. "But shy and a bit awkward on your feet. I noticed you stumble a few times as you walked down the hall."

"Couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, eh, Bella?" Emmett laughed.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Objection."

"Sustained." Rosalie leaned over to look at Emmett. "Behave yourself."

"Sorry, Bel—uh, Ms. Swan."

Bella turned back to Angela who was trying not to laugh. "Did you ever notice a change in me?"

"Yes." She looked at Edward. "A major one."

"And when was that?"

"The night we went to Port Angeles," Angela said. "You came with Jessica and me to buy dresses for the Sadie Hawkins Dance even though you weren't going, and you went off alone to visit a bookstore. When you came back much later, you met us outside the restaurant. But you weren't alone."

"Oh? And who was I with?"

Angela pointed her finger. "Him right there! Mr. Edward Masen."

Alice snickered, and Esme tried not to follow suit. "Do you know why I was with Mr. Masen that night?" Bella asked.

"You said you ran into him by accident while you were looking for the bookstore. Then he insisted on taking you to dinner and taking you home."

"What happened next?"

"I don't know, but the next time I saw you, you were getting out of Mr. Masen's car in the school parking lot. And no one had ever done that before, other than his siblings. Ever."

"What did you observe next?"

"After that, you were inseparable, two halves of a whole. You guys seemed made for each other."

Bella smiled, though Esme could tell her heart was only halfway in it. "Now, if we could shift gears a bit, how long have you known Mr. Masen?"

Angela looked down, her cheeks flushing again. "I don't really know how to answer that."

"I see." Bella nodded. "And why is that?"

"Because I don't really _know_ him." She seemed sorry to make the admission. "Other than his siblings, no one does. Or did."

"Did?" Bella asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, before you came along, no one knew Edward at all, I don't think."

Bella began to pace. "And why would you say that?"

Angela toyed with her bracelet. "It's hard to put into words."

"Could you try?" Bella asked. "And don't worry about offending anyone. They're all pretty thick-skinned."

Emmett snickered again as Rosalie shook her head. "She's right, Ms. Weber. Don't worry about how you phrase your answers. Just do the best you can to be clear."

"All right." She looked at Edward then back at Bella. "Well, it's like, everyone else was part of a couple: Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett. And then there was Edward. Always alone, the odd one out. Not that people didn't try to hook up with him, I mean like, _all the time_. Jessica, Lauren, that girl who never wears underwear… about every girl in the school made a play for him. But he wasn't interested. Some people even suggested…" She trailed off and looked down again.

"Ms. Weber, please continue," Bella said kindly.

"Well, some of the guys thought he was gay. Not that they had any reason to. They just couldn't figure out why 'a guy like that' kept turning down all those girls."

"What do you mean, 'a guy like that'?"

"I mean, he's gorgeous, well-dressed, well-mannered, intelligent, and has the most amazing voice on the planet." Her eyes widened, and she sobered some. "Objectively speaking."

"Of course," Bella said.

"Did you think he was gay?"

"No. I just thought he hadn't found the right girl. Or maybe the right girl hadn't found him yet..."

"Objection," Edward sighed wearily. "This is all specious speculation."

"Overruled," Rosalie said. "The witness may finish her answer."

"That was it," Angela said. "I mean, I don't know Edward personally, but he seemed different after you came. From day one, actually. And now, he's like a different guy."

"Different how?"

Angela looked up in thought. "He's focused, determined. I'd almost say lighter, but he's too broody for that to be accurate. It's more like he has a purpose, that you give him direction. It's intense and super-hot." She covered her mouth and tried again. "I mean, it's nice to see."

Bella consulted her notepad and nodded. "One last question, Ms. Weber. Based on your observations of Mr. Masen and myself, do you think we are better together or apart?"

"Together!" she cried. "I can't think of any two people more right for each other."

"Thank you, Ms. Weber." Bella turned to Rosalie. "I have no more questions for this witness."

"Very well. Mr. Masen, would you like to cross-examine?"

Esme watched as her son slowly replaced the cap on his pen, troubled by the softness of his voice. "I would, Your Honor. Thank you."

As Edward came to his feet, Esme caught his eye. And though she couldn't read his mind, his serene expression told her exactly what was on it.

Angela Weber was about to get her proverbial pants charmed off. And Esme hoped the poor girl would survive the experience.

**What do we think of this first witness? And what will Edward do with his cross? Come back next week to find out, dear friends! xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8: Crossing Ms Weber

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Everyone was impressed with Angela's testimony, and most of you feel she'll be able to handle Edward's cross-examination. But _csuter_ summed it up this way: "Personally I would say anything Edward wanted me to say, so I look forward to an objection on the grounds of dazzling!" You and me both, honey, LOL!**

**Let's see how Angela does…**

**Chapter 08: Crossing Ms. Weber**

**Bella's POV**

Bella straightened the papers on the table, her peripheral vision trained on Edward. He adjusted the rolled-up sleeves on his white dress shirt and slipped a hand into the front pocket of his gray slacks, the motions too casual for her comfort. Though she couldn't put her finger on it, Bella felt something was amiss as Edward approached the witness stand.

But when he leaned on the podium and greeted Angela with a velvety smooth "Good morning, Ms. Weber," Bella discovered what it was.

And didn't like it one bit. "Objection!"

"Yes?" Rosalie asked when Bella fell silent.

"Counsel is…" She glared at Edward who further angered her by smirking as he faced her. "You know what I mean," she hissed at him.

He backed away from the witness stand with his hands up. "Opposing counsel objects to my greeting the witness? That hardly seems logical."

They both appealed to Rosalie with their eyes, and she rolled hers. "Your objection is unclear, Ms. Swan. Therefore I must overrule it."

Bella took her seat, muttering under her breath, but perked up when the judge called Mr. Masen's name.

"Take care to remember this court's earlier instructions about your conduct," she said. "Though it would give me great pleasure, I would rather not waste time holding you in contempt. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," he grinned, returning his attention to Angela. "My apologies, Ms. Weber. Thank you for your patience as we sorted that out."

"It's okay." Angela hadn't stopped blushing since Edward's greeting. "I didn't understand any of it."

He lowered his voice. "Neither did I, but I had to play along."

Angela chuckled, and Bella gripped the sides of her chair to keep from jumping up to object again. _"Don't give in to the Dazzle, Angela!"_

"Now Ms. Weber, I need to ask you a few questions about some of the answers you gave Ms. Swan. Is that all right?"

"Sure."

"Good. Um… just a moment." He walked back to his desk, tapping his foot on the floor as he flipped through his notepad. Bella clasped her hands in her lap and began counting backwards from three hundred, trying to appear calm for Angela's sake. If Edward's goal was to irk the living snot out of her, he was succeeding.

"I'll just bring this with me," he said eventually, taking the legal pad as he approached the bench. "Now, Ms. Weber. You said you noticed a change in Ms. Swan after the night you all went dress shopping in Port Angeles, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"And you remember Ms. Swan and me showing up together at the restaurant?"

"Yes." She glanced at Bella. "Bella seemed flushed and excited to be with you, so I knew something was up."

"I see. And what about me?"

Angela looked at him. "You?"

"Yes. You say Bella seemed excited to be with me. Did you notice anything about my demeanor?"

"Not really," Angela shrugged. "I was too busy watching Bella to look at you."

Emmett snickered then cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"So you can't say for sure if I was as excited to be with Bella as she was to be with me?" Edward asked.

Angela frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"You just admitted Bella seemed happy to be with me that night, correct?"

"Yes."

"But those were her emotions." His voice dropped a dangerous octave and became almost seductive. "You cannot speak for my feelings at the time, can you?"

"No." Angela's eyes seemed to glaze over. "I guess not."

"Good. Now let's continue, shall we?"

"Okay," she breathed.

Bella slammed both hands on the table, causing Angela to start and Rosalie to glare at her. "Ms. Swan, is there a problem?"

"No, Your Honor. There was an annoying mosquito that needed to be squashed."

Edward glared at her, and she smiled sweetly. "My apologies to the court and to you, Mr. Masen. Please go on."

His voice was like flint. "Thank you, Ms. Swan."

"You're so very welcome."

"Ms. Weber, you say Ms. Swan and I were inseparable from the next day onward, is that correct?"

"Yes." Again, she beamed at Bella. "Made for each other, like I said."

"What about her trip to Phoenix?"

"Her what?"

"Didn't Bella go back to Phoenix earlier this year?" Edward sounded confused. "Alone?"

Bella pinched the bridge of her nose as Angela answered, "Yes."

"And do you know why she did that?"

"She never told me why. I mean, not directly."

"Okay." Edward came closer to the podium. "But you did receive word of her reasons, correct?"

"Yes."

"And what were those reasons?"

Angela sighed. "She left Forks to get away from you."

"She left Forks in the middle of the school year to get away from me? Why would she do that if we were perfect for each other?"

"I don't know," Angela cried. "Sometimes even perfect couples need space, I guess."

"But that seems a bit drastic, don't you think?"

Angela looked at Edward over the rim of her glasses. "Maybe. But she was back in your arms at prom a few weeks later, so I guess it all worked out."

Edward stiffened, forcing his eyes to his notes. "Let's leave Ms. Swan alone for the moment. You testified that quote 'about every girl in the school' made a play for me, correct?"

"Yes."

"Did you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Did you ever make a play for me?"

"Um…" She tried to make eye contact with Bella, but Edward was blocking her view. "I don't think that's an appropriate question to ask in front of your girlfriend."

"Nonsense. This is all in fun."

"Still, I don't think I should."

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you refusing to answer?"

"Not refusing, just…" She looked at Rosalie. "Is he allowed to ask me that?"

"As opposing counsel has not objected"—she glanced at Bella who shook her head—"yes, he is allowed to ask you that."

"Fine. The answer to your question is no, I never made a play for you."

"I see." Edward clasped his hands behind his back. "Why not?"

Bella came to her feet. "Objection. Ms. Weber's feelings for Mr. Masen are not on trial."

"But Ms. Swan presented this witness specifically for her opinion on us as a unit and as individuals, rendering Ms. Weber's feelings for me quite relevant."

Rosalie pursed her lips as she looked between Bella and Edward. "I agree. Your objection is overruled, Ms. Swan. The witness may answer the question."

"You want to know why I never made a play for you?" Angela asked.

"That's right," Edward smiled. "And with as much detail as possible, please."

"I don't know. You just weren't my type."

"Not your type?" He flipped through his notebook. "You said I was gorgeous, well-dressed, well-mannered, intelligent, and in possession of the most amazing voice on the planet. Is that not your type?"

Angela adjusted her glasses. "No?"

"Ms. Weber, you are under oath."

"I understand that, Mr. Masen. And I am being completely honest when I say you are definitely not my type."

"And why not?"

"I don't think that matters."

"It does to me." He leaned on the witness stand. "Immensely."

"Mr. Masen…"

"Why am I not your type, Ms. Weber?"

"Because you're creepy!"

No sooner than the words left her mouth did Angela cover it with both hands, shaking her head. Emmett echoed the motion in a poor attempt to hide his amusement, as did Rosalie and Alice.

But Bella's eyes were fixed on Edward, noting the satisfaction in his stance.

"You think I'm creepy?"

"I'm so sorry." Angela refused to remove her hand. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No apologies needed." Edward's smile was genuine, making Bella even more anxious. "I wanted your honesty, and your embarrassment suggests I have it. But if you could elaborate, I would be most…"

"No." She folded her arms. "That was a cruel thing to say, and I can't take it back. But please don't make me elaborate."

Edward leaned in, his voice like honey. "But you must, Ms. Weber. Lest Judge Hale hold you in contempt."

"Contempt?" Angela looked up at Rosalie who had just finished glaring at Edward. "I am afraid Mr. Masen is right, Ms. Weber. Witnesses who refuse to cooperate will be held in contempt and their testimony excluded from the report on these proceedings."

Angela gasped. "I don't want that."

"Then please answer counsel's question," Rosalie said kindly. "However bizarre it might be," she muttered in a subhuman voice.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Edward replied. "Now, Ms. Weber. Would you please tell the court why you find me 'creepy'?"

"I don't…" Angela huffed with a long roll of her eyes. "It's like I said before. You're very intense to be so young, like you can't relax because you're always afraid something awful is about to happen. And that's more important to me than the way you look or dress."

He came closer. "Do I scare you?"

"No." She studied his face. "You confuse me."

"Confuse you how?"

"Because I know you love Bella. No matter what else may be going on with you, I know that for a fact. Yet here you are, picking your relationship apart for some reason I can't understand. I mean, I know you say this is all in fun, but honestly? You look like you're playing for high stakes, like someone's life is on the line or something."

"I assure you it's nothing so serious." Edward's light tone was forced, though Angela was the only one who didn't know. "I just don't like to lose."

"That's too bad," Angela smiled. "Because I think Bella can take you."

"She already has," Edward said.

Bella caught the aching tone Angela missed and fisted a hand in her lap. Glancing at her watch, she hoped he was almost done so she could get some air.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Ms. Weber?" Edward asked suddenly.

"Um, yes." Angela blushed. "Ben Cheney."

"Is he a good guy?"

"The best. But don't tell him that. Wouldn't want him getting a big head."

Edward chuckled. "Do you think it's Ben's job to protect you?"

"I guess so." She lifted her chin. "But I'm pretty capable of protecting myself."

"What if there was a situation bigger than you, something you couldn't handle on your own? Wouldn't you agree part of Ben's duty and honor as your boyfriend is to protect you from it?"

"Objection," Bella said. "Apples and oranges. The relationship in question is not the same as that between Ms. Weber and Mr. Cheney."

"Sustained," Rosalie said. "Mr. Masen, you may rephrase or move on to your next question."

"Very well." He set the notepad face-down on top of the witness stand. "How close are you and Ms. Swan?"

"Bella is my closest friend, and I hope she could say the same about me."

"How important to you is her happiness?"

"Very important." She looked up at Edward thoughtfully. "That's why I'm so glad she has you. Because you make her smile."

"Hmmm." Edward nodded. "So if I began to make her cry, would you want me to leave her alone?"

Angela leaned forward. "Are you making her cry?"

Edward held her gaze as he addressed the judge. "Your Honor?"

"The witness is not allowed to question counsel," Rosalie said. "Please answer the question, Ms. Weber."

"Yes." She narrowed her eyes at Edward. "If being with you made her cry, I would want you to leave her alone. I would almost demand it."

"Do you think being in constant danger could cause her to cry?"

"Yes."

"What about jeopardizing her relationship with her father?"

"Yes."

"Losing her friends?"

"Yes."

"Squandering her future?"

"Yes." Angela folded her arms. "If having you in her life caused all of that, I would want you gone. Like yesterday."

"Thank you, Ms. Weber." Edward grinned to her great surprise. "I have no further questions for this witness."

Bella was on her feet before Edward reached his table. "Redirect, Your Honor?"

"You may," Rosalie said.

"Just one question, Ms. Weber." Bella struggled to keep her voice neutral. "Are there any circumstances under which you think Mr. Masen would be correct to leave me without my consent?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, without my permission, consent, or desire to see him go, are there any circumstances under which Mr. Masen would be correct to leave me?"

Angela's eyes widened, and she fixed them on Edward. "No. None whatsoever."

"Thank you, Ms. Weber. You have been very helpful." She turned to Rosalie. "I have nothing further."

"Ms. Weber, you may step down," Rosalie said. "And as Ms. Swan prepares to walk you out, please accept our thanks for your participation today. This was an unusual assignment, but you did a great job helping us out."

"Thank you, Your Judge Hale," Angela said. "I hope you guys get an 'A' on this."

Bella led Angela out of the courtroom and directly to the parking lot, a careful smile pasted on her face.

"That was… interesting," Angela said.

"Never a dull moment with them, that's for sure," Bella replied lightly. "Thanks again for coming all this way. We really appreciate it."

"Beats the heck out of cleaning the bathroom." Angela unlocked her car door. "I hope Edward isn't too upset about me calling him creepy."

"That's a compliment compared to the kind of stuff Emmett says," Bella chuckled. "Don't worry about it."

Angela closed her door, looking at Bella through the open window. "I meant what I said on the stand. You and Edward are made for each other. And whatever this case is about, I hope the verdict somehow reflects that."

"_So do I, Angela,"_ Bella thought as Angela honked and drove off. _"So do I."_

**So what do we think of Edward's cross? Did Angela hold her own? And who's next on Bella's witness list? Find out next week, dear readers! xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9: A Prayer of Hope

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**So _dhdirector_ asked if I know how long the story will be. And the answer is "Yes and No." Yes, because I know how many witnesses I will call for each side and that there will be a cross-examination for each one (and a redirect, if needed). But No, because certain crucial decisions are still up in the air. So I'm not sure how helpful that was, LOL, but there's my answer :)  
**

**Let's see who Bella calls next…**

**Chapter 09: A Prayer of Hope**

**Emmett's POV**

People often saw Emmett as a cross between a clown and a hound. Yes, he liked a practical joke more than the average immortal. And yes, he found pleasure in other people's embarrassment and foolishness, had no problem causing either of his own.

And sure, he enjoyed the delights of the flesh. How could he not, being married to the most beautiful, alluring creature on earth? A woman who fascinated, attended, and loved him?

He could hardly wait to get her home and out of that robe.

But beneath it all, perhaps because of it all, Emmett needed more than hearty laughs and great sex to make his world complete.

His family, intact and in sync, was the chief of those needs.

Though that damnable black bear stole him from the only home he'd ever known, God's grace landed him in the arms of an angel who mounted up on pretty wings and flew him into the heart of her clan.

It was rocky in the beginning—Rosie's resentment of Carlisle did not immediately disappear when he agreed to change Emmett—but over time, his bride began to relax in his love, the family expanded with the addition of Alice and Jasper, and everything seemed right.

Almost everything.

For Edward, beauty and brains aside, was still a colossal pain in the ass. And though Emmett teased him about it at every conceivable opportunity, he deeply sympathized with his plight.

Immortal and immutable without a woman to love? Surrounded by three healthy, horny couples who had the nerve to choose to live as a family? That was Emmett's idea of hell, and he admired Edward for not throwing himself on a raging pyre after one decade as a clan.

But Edward was too stubborn for that and too sensitive to put Esme through his absence a second, permanent time. So he suffered in deafening silence, keeping to himself and rebuffing any woman outside the family who looked his way.

Until a few months ago when a brown-haired human stumbled into his life.

Though he promised to remain on his best behavior today, Emmett couldn't help but laugh whenever he thought about that. Of all the female creatures on earth, Edward fell in love with his singer who also happened to be immune to his telepathic talent.

Emmett guffawed and pounded his chest as if stifling a cough. He knew Rosalie had her eyebrow raised in his direction and didn't want to see her get angry.

He was hoping she'd save that for tonight.

Shaking off the thought, he focused on the sound of Angela Weber pulling out of the parking lot to remind him of how serious today was.

As if he could forget.

Though the past few months had been anything but easy, Emmett didn't need his siblings' gifts to know their family would fall apart if Bella and Edward did. Not only because Edward wouldn't survive the deprivation but because the rest of them would also suffer.

Himself included.

Emmett hid these thoughts from Edward, not wanting to add to the chorus of condemnation he received from everyone else over his decision to leave Bella, but he couldn't deny that Bella gave him something he sorely needed, something no one else could.

The chance to be big brother again.

Though Alice let him swing her through the trees on occasion and asked for a piggyback ride now and then, Emmett missed that look of adoration he used to get from the younger sister he'd been forced to leave behind. He missed knowing he could defend her if necessary, that his size and temperament made him ideal for the job.

And while Edward seldom left Bella alone long enough to need protection, Emmett took great comfort in the sweet looks and smiles Bella gave him when he entered a room. Even if she never anything other than "Hey," Emmett understood in that one word everything that went without saying, and he loved every bit of it.

And hoped and prayed with all his might he wouldn't lose it.

And though Edward pretended otherwise, Emmett knew he did too.

Edward growled, and Emmett realized he'd let his thoughts run away from him. _"Sorry, Bro,"_ he thought as the rear doors to the courtroom opened. _"But you know I'm right."_

Edward averted his gaze as Bella returned to her desk, apologizing for taking so long.

Rosalie waved her off. "But if you're ready, please call your next witness."

Bella nodded. "I call Alice Brandon to the stand."

"Yay!" Alice jumped up and flew into her seat, sending Edward's papers flying in her wake.

"Really, Alice?" he groused, bending to pick them up. "You couldn't just walk like a normal person?"

"Is he allowed to talk to me like that?" Alice asked Rosalie.

"Is she allowed to speak before being sworn in?"

Rosalie raised the gavel high above the block but tapped it twice with extreme care. "Ms. Brandon, you in fact are not allowed to speak before being sworn in. Mr. Masen, you are not allowed to address the witness until your cross-examination. And neither of you are allowed to aggravate me! Is that clear?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Alice crossed her heart with two fingers. "I'll be good."

Edward rolled his eyes and muttered his assent.

Emmett looked up at Rosalie with love in his eyes. "That's my girl."

The corners of her mouth lifted, and she cleared her throat. "Mr. McCarty, please, uh… please swear in the witness."

"With pleasure." He smirked at Edward's annoyance and walked to the witness stand, smiling at his shortest sister. "Ms. Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock Cullen, left hand on the Bible, right hand in the air." She complied, humming to herself. "Do you swear…"

"I do!"

"Objection," Edward sighed from his seat. "Can she at least pretend not to know what's coming?"

"I don't need my visions to know what he was going to say, Edward," Alice snorted. "I watch _Law & Order_ like every day."

"Your honor?"

Rosalie folded her hands and knocked them against her forehead, a sure sign she was about to blow… and not in the way Emmett enjoyed.

"Alice and Edward." Her growl rattled the chandeliers, causing Bella to cast anxious looks at the ceiling. "One more outburst from either of you, and I throw you over my knee and beat you both into submission. Do I make myself clear?"

Emmett shivered at Rosalie's words as Alice and Edward agreed to behave. He glanced at the clock on the far wall, wondering what he'd have to do to request a recess to ravish his wife.

"Bailiff." Rosalie's no-nonsense tone brought him out of his fog. "The court considers Ms. Brandon sworn in and well-advised to only answer a question after it has been asked." Emmett nodded and strolled back to his post, adjusting himself as he walked.

Bella gasped and shook her head as Alice giggled. "Ms. Swan, begin at your own risk," the judge said with a warm and warning look at her husband.

"Thank you, Your Honor." She approached the bench with a side glance at Emmett, and he smiled sheepishly. "Ms. Brandon, how do you know me?"

Alice blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, how do you and I know each other?"

"Well," Alice counted off her fingers. "We attend the same school, we're friends, and you're going to be my sister someday!"

"Objection!" Edward leapt to his feet. "She has been warned not to use her gift."

"I'm not!" Alice cried. "I only meant because she and my brother are in love, it logically follows they'll marry someday. And when they do, she'll be my sister. I would say that even if I were human." She turned to Rosalie. "Am I not allowed to say anything about the future? Even if it's just my un-gifted opinion?"

"But how are we supposed to know that?" Edward walked around the table, heading for the judge's bench. "There's no way to tell the difference between what she thinks and what she sees. And she is forbidden to disclose what she sees."

"But we all know Alice has seen several possible futures." Bella glanced at Edward who hadn't realized he stopped right beside her. "And as some people refuse to accept what's coming, she can't really be sure of anything. None of us can."

"Some of us can." Edward said quickly. "And I don't care what she says or sees, some things will never happen."

"Enough!" Rosalie was on her feet, her golden eyes bearing down on the lot of them. And Emmett found himself fighting a twitch in his pants.

"_Down, boy!" _he groaned inwardly.

Edward glanced at him in disgust before returning his attention to the irate judge.

"Ms. Swan and Mr. Masen, as I have said before, do not address each other directly. You agreed to bring this case to me to decide, so let me do my damn job."

"Yes, Your Honor," they muttered in miserable unison.

"Now Mr. Masen." Rosalie resumed her seat. "The question you raise is valid and needs to be answered before Ms. Swan continues. Ms. Brandon is barred from speaking about events that have yet to take place and from using her abilities to unjustly influence her testimony.

"That said, she is a witness for the plaintiff and needs the freedom to answer fully, something she cannot do if there are frequent objections, however valid they may be."

Rosalie closed her eyes, mumbling silently to herself. Alice crossed her arms over her chest, shooting daggers at Edward with her eyes. Abruptly, her expression relaxed, and she crossed her legs at the ankles.

"Ms. Swan, you are allowed to question Ms. Brandon but only about events that have already taken place. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Judge. Thank you."

"Therefore, Mr. Masen, your objection is overruled."

Edward bowed stiffly and returned to his seat, refusing eye contact with anyone.

"Ms. Swan," Rosalie said, "Please begin your questioning of the witness again."

"Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Brandon, when did you and I meet?"

"Officially?"

"Yes."

"Friday, March 11, 2005 around 11:30 a.m."

Bella smiled. "And unofficially?"

"I started having visions of you in December 2004, when you first considered moving to Forks."

"Visions of what?"

She glanced at Edward. "Of you and Mr. Masen together. In love. Forever."

"Now when you say 'forever,'" Bella put the word in air quotes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I saw you as an immortal, as Edward's eternal mate."

"Do you still remember that vision, Ms. Brandon?"

"I do." She leaned forward. "I think about it all the time. We were all so happy, all eight of us. It was as if our family was complete."

"Objection," Edward sighed.

"Sustained." Rosalie turned to Alice. "Please do not elaborate on your answers to 'Yes or No' questions, Ms. Brandon. Continue, Ms. Swan."

"Could you describe Mr. Masen in that vision?" Bella turned her back to him. "His countenance and behavior?"

"Objection." Edward tossed his pen on the desk. "Ms. Brandon's visions about me are not hard evidence."

"I'm going somewhere with this, Your Honor," Bella said, "If counsel would give me the chance to get there."

"Overruled," Rosalie said. "But tread carefully, Ms. Swan."

Bella nodded. "Ms. Brandon, what do you remember?"

Alice leaned back in her chair, her eyes softening. "Edward was… breathtaking. He was smiling and laughing, his eyes alight with passion and excitement. He was a man aglow with the glory of love, alive for the first time in one hundred years. It was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen, second to my visions of my Jas, of course. There aren't words in the world to describe him."

She smiled at her husband, and he winked her way, causing her to shiver all over.

"Ms. Brandon?" Bella waved her hand to recover the witness's attention. "The first time?"

"Uh, yes, sorry." Alice blinked herself back to life. "I had never seen Edward look that way before that vision. Didn't know he _could_ look that way, to be honest."

"Oh?" Bella turned to the gallery. "And why not?"

"Because he was always morose and moody, so utterly out of place even though his position in our family was secure." She sighed. "Even before my visions led me to the Cullens, the four of them seemed to revolve around Edward. He was Carlisle's pride, Esme's joy, Rosalie's aggravation, and Emmett's buddy. It was clear to me how much they loved and needed him, yet he was never happy. Not really.

"And how could he be? He was the lone bachelor, the only half who wasn't whole. Always a groomsman, never the prize, and though he denied it aloud, that isolation and loneliness churned in his mind constantly, rendering him dejected and broken and unable to…"

Edward sprang to his feet, gripping the table in front of him. On instinct, Bella advanced his way then stopped herself when Rosalie's voice rang out. "Do you have something to say, Mr. Masen?"

"Objection." His voice was ragged as his eyes strayed to Bella. "Please."

Bella gasped, gripping the pen in her hand. "I can't tell her what to say, Edward."

"Ms. Swan, that will do." Rosalie frowned though her voice was soft. "Mr. Masen, I don't understand your objection. Therefore I must overrule it. Ms. Brandon, you may complete your answer."

"I'm finished, Your Honor." Alice watched as Edward took his seat, her eyes full of regret. "I'm sorry," she mouthed.

Bella kept her eyes down and slowly turned away from the defendant's table. "Ms. Brandon, did this vision, as you saw it, come true?"

"No, it did not."

"But have you seen Edward look that way since having that vision?"

"Yes," she brightened. "As a matter of fact, I have."

"And when was that?"

Alice looked directly into Edward's eyes. "Every single time I've seen him with you, Ms. Swan. You are a vision, a very happy vision that literally came true."

Bella blinked, forcing a smile to her face. "Thank you, Ms. Brandon." She turned away from Alice and faced Edward. "Your witness, Counselor."

He cleared his throat and nodded, his eyes darkening as Bella's cheeks colored under his gaze. "Thank you, Ms. Swan."

"You're welcome, Mr. Masen."

Their eyes remained locked for a half-second too long, and as Bella resumed her seat on the plaintiff's side, Emmett began to believe his prayer of hope was already being answered.

Until Edward fixed his eyes on the witness, all traces of softness gone.

**So what do we think of Ms. Brandon's testimony? And how will the cross-examination go? Find out next week, dear friends! xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10: The Masters

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**My apologies for not replying to last week's reviews. My stomach decided to rebel against me in every possible way, and it was a miracle I even posted Ch9. But I'm on the mend now, so I'll be able to catch up.**

**And I must thank _bow to your sensei _for the title of this chapter and Bella's observation that brings it about. You took the words/imagery right out of my mouth!**

**Chapter 10: The Masters**

**Bella's POV**

Bella took her seat behind the plaintiff's table but remained on the chair's edge. She pretended to rifle through her notes, reviewing her plan, but the exercise was a poor distraction.

She was worried about Edward's cross-examination.

Bella didn't ask Alice nearly as many questions as she could have, but that had been intentional. As the first to present evidence, Bella walked a precarious line: She had to make her arguments without tipping her hand to Edward. With too much time to prepare and counterattack, Edward might somehow come away with a victory.

And Bella could not afford that outcome.

So she played it safe with Alice, sticking to things Edward could hardly object to. But as Edward took his time replacing the cap on his pen, Bella worried if her strategy would work.

Edward rose from his chair and took a leisurely stroll to the front of the room, his intense gaze locked on Alice. Removing his hand from his right pocket, he stopped a foot from the witness stand and folded his arms across his chest. He inhaled, and Bella braced herself for his first question.

But instead of speaking, he exhaled through his nose.

And did nothing else.

He did not blink, crack a knuckle, or shift his weight from one foot to the other.

He just stared at Alice.

Who just stared back.

Bella watched the clock between the windows to the left and counted 120 ticks of the second hand, and still there was nothing from either one of them. The courtroom was as silent as a winter's night as the two gifted siblings eyed each other, and Bella felt as if she were watching a game of chess between two world-class masters.

Alice raised an eyebrow, and Edward's nostrils flared.

Edward narrowed his eyes, and Alice rolled hers.

Bella knew they could communicate silently, but such behavior today would be grounds for dismissal, and though equally stubborn, neither of them would risk it.

Still the silence seemed to crackle with anticipation, and after another full rotation of the second hand, Bella reached her limit and came to her feet. "For goodness' sake!"

Rosalie blinked out of her trance and turned to Bella. "Do you have an objection, Ms. Swan?"

"Don't you?" As Rosalie's expression changed, Bella remembered herself. "I mean, yes. I have an objection, Your Honor."

"And that would be?"

Bella sighed, failing to keep the exasperation out of her voice. "I was wondering if opposing counsel planned to ask the witness a question or just bask in the rarity of her silence."

Emmett and Jasper laughed, earning sharp looks from Esme and a quick rap on the wooden block from the judge. "Boys," she muttered. "Mr. Masen?"

He did not turn his head. "Your Honor?"

"Do get on with your cross, if you don't mind. Ms. Swan appears to be in a hurry, and I cannot say I blame her."

He replied in the affirmative, but still, he said nothing.

"Mr. Masen, need I remind you of the court's ruling regarding your gifts?"

"I am well aware of them, Your Honor."

"Then why are you not questioning your witness?"

"Because I have yet to decide on a proper first question."

Rosalie leaned back in her chair. "Ms. Swan, Mr. Masen appears to have intent to question Ms. Brandon. Therefore your objection is overruled."

Bella opened her mouth to object but promptly shut it. There was little sense in arguing with the woman who held their fate in her hands.

Moreover, she realized, Alice was more than capable of handling Edward, no matter how reckless or relentless he might be. So Bella chose to relax, lay her pen atop her closed notebook, and watch Alice work.

Alice glanced at Bella, finally breaking eye contact with Edward, and he sparked to life, his voice low and taut. "Ms. Brandon, you testified about a vision of Ms. Swan and me, correct?"

"Yes."

"One in which she and I were both immortal?"

"Mates," Alice pointed out. "And yes."

"How did I feel about this vision when you shared it with me?"

Alice squirmed. "How did you feel?"

"Yes. Was I happy? Elated? Overcome with glee?"

"Objection," Bella said. "Leading."

"Sustained," Rosalie said.

"How did I feel, Ms. Brandon?" Edward repeated.

"You were… cautiously optimistic."

"And you," he said with a slight edge, "are under oath."

"I know that," she replied smoothly. "And I stand by my answer."

Edward clenched his fists but continued. "Did you have any other visions, Ms. Brandon?"

"Hundreds, Mr. Masen."

"Good. I'd like to ask you about some of those now."

Alice batted her lashes. "I am at your disposal."

"Could you describe the vision you had of Ms. Swan and me in the meadow?"

Alice grinned. "You were lying on your backs in the grass, holding hands and looking up at the spring sky. At one point, you were on your sides, your knees touching as you gazed into each other's eyes . So peaceful, so in love. It was perfect."

Bella felt herself swooning as Jasper bounced his wife's emotions all over the room, and Rosalie tapped her gavel on the block with a breathy sigh. "Major, please."

"Sorry, Your Honor," he called from the gallery.

Edward straightened his stance and cleared his throat. "Was that your only vision of that day?"

Alice's smile faded. "I had several visions that day as I do every day."

"That is not what I asked, and you well know it," Edward snapped. "Please tell the court of the other vision you had of Ms. Swan and me that day."

Alice looked away. "I saw Bella on the ground beneath you."

"What was she doing?"

"Lying there."

Edward turned to the bench. "Your Honor, please instruct the witness to answer the question."

"She did, Mr. Masen. Please move on."

Edward gritted his teeth but made no other movement. "Was she alive?"

"No," Alice muttered after a moment.

"Did you see how she died?"

"Yes."

"How did she die?"

"Edward, why do you have to…"

"Your Honor?" he called without turning around.

"Ms. Brandon, please answer the question," Rosalie said sadly.

"You killed her," Alice whispered.

"_I_ did?"

"Yes."

"Me?"

Alice mumbled something under her breath Bella didn't catch. "Yes, Mr. Masen. You."

"But you said Ms. Swan and I were in love." Edward sped to the table for his notepad and flipped a few pages. "That with her I was 'a man aglow with the glory of love, alive for the first time in one hundred years.' Wasn't that your testimony?"

"Yes," she hissed.

"Then why would I kill her?"

"Because you couldn't resist her blood."

"And why not?"

"Because you're a vampire!"

"Yes, I am." He put his arms behind his back, pacing. "A vampire who hasn't bitten another human in more than seven decades. A vampire who attends school with dozens of humans, none of whom he feels an overwhelming need to sample."

"Objection," Bella said wearily. "Counsel is testifying."

"Sustained. Ask your question, Mr. Masen."

"My apologies, Your Honor." Edward approached the witness stand. "When is the last time this vampire bit a human, Ms. Brandon?"

"Nineteen thirty-one."

"And how many years since then?"

"Seventy-four."

"So long?" He sounded perplexed. "If I am a vampire, how did I manage not to bite anyone in nearly three-quarters of a century?"

"Because you work really hard to control the urges. We all do."

"Yes, we do." Edward indicated the gallery behind them with a sweep of his arm. "Yet you had a vision I was going to bite Ms. Swan and kill her. Why would I do that if I have such incredible control?"

Alice glanced at Bella with apologetic eyes. "You made a mistake."

"I made a mistake and killed the woman I love?" He laughed without humor. "That's quite a mistake, wouldn't you say?"

"I wouldn't know."

"No, you wouldn't." His voice hardened. "Your mate is immortal, is he not?"

"Yes," Alice lifted her chin. "And yours could be too if you weren't so damned stubborn!"

Edward slammed his notepad on the witness stand. "That is beside the point, Ms. Brandon, and you have not answered my question."

"What question?"

"Why did I bite Ms. Swan in your vision?"

"Because she's human!"

"I ignore hundreds of humans every day. Why would I bite that one?" He pointed at Bella, the angry gesture making her gasp. "Why, Ms. Brandon?"

"Because she's your singer!" Alice shouted, her words reverberating off the walls of the courtroom. "Her blood calls to you as none other does, and you tried to resist, Edward. I could feel your struggle as I watched the alternative future unfold. But you were so close to her, so unbelievably close, and her scent was all around you, and you didn't mean to do it, you just…" Alice shut her eyes. "Slipped up."

"Slipped up?" He faced the gallery, shrugging his shoulders. "I slipped up. I lost control of myself for one moment!" Bella's heart raced in her chest as he looked at her, his eyes black with emotion. "And Ms. Swan ceased to exist." He snapped his fingers. "Like that. Let me ask you, Ms. Brandon. Did the fact that I didn't mean to do it make her any less dead?"

Esme clutched her pearls in the gallery, and Edward winced. "I withdraw the question."

Rosalie came to her feet on the bench, her eyes drifting toward Bella's pale face and troubled eyes. "I think we should take a recess to give plaintiff a chance to…"

"I'm fine, Your Honor." The strength in Bella's voice belied her thumping heart. "My apologies for interrupting and I appreciate the consideration, but I do not need a recess."

Rosalie studied Bella for a moment, her golden eyes appraising the slight human whose presence turned her world upside-down, and eventually nodded. "Very well." She glared at Edward. "Mr. Masen, you may continue your cross-examination."

"Thank you, Judge." He looked back at Alice whose demeanor was decidedly hostile. "Let's continue, shall we?"

Edward chuckled when Alice didn't answer, and Bella wondered if he were losing his grip.

"Was that the only vision you had of me killing Ms. Swan?"

Alice's eyes darkened. "No."

"About how many other times did you see me killing Ms. Swan?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Edward turned to Rosalie. "Your Honor, as everyone here knows, vampires have perfect recall. So I object to her answer."

"Sustained," Rosalie said as if she took little pleasure in it. "Ms. Brandon, please answer counsel's question more accurately."

"The question is impossible to answer," Alice growled. "Because in the beginning of your relationship, your decisions regarding Ms. Swan were always changing. In one day, I could have a dozen different visions of you killing her, based on your mood and her reactions."

"So you had innumerable visions of Ms. Swan dying at my hands? Or my teeth, rather?"

Alice clamped her mouth shut, her foot tapping furiously against the floor.

"Ms. Brandon?"

"I would not say they are innumerable," she ground out. "But a precise tally is difficult to obtain."

"More than fifty?"

Bella was on her feet. "Objection, Your Honor. Asked and answered."

"I have only just asked her to narrow down the number of visions," he countered lightly. "She has not answered that question yet."

"The record reflects she had a lot of these visions," Bella groaned. "Does the number really matter?"

"It should to you," Edward replied coolly.

"You have the audacity to challenge _me_ on what should and shouldn't matter?" Bella advanced on him. "Where the hell do you get the…."

"Order!" Rosalie banged the gavel on the wooden block and split it in half. "Dammit!"

"On it!" Emmett called as he sped in and out of the room with a new one. He placed it on the judge's table and returned to his spot in less than ten seconds.

Once the block was placed, Rosalie glared at each of the litigants. "I have warned you several times not to speak to each other during the proceedings, and you have ignored me. Therefore each of you loses a cross-examination as a consequence."

"What?" Bella cried as Edward ran his hands down his face. "But he kept provoking me!"

"I understand that, Ms. Swan, but you were not obligated to reply." Rosalie folded her hands. "Now as Mr. Masen has already begun to cross-examine Ms. Brandon, he loses the right to cross your next witness. Likewise, you lose the right to cross-examine his third witness. Is that understood?"

"Yes," they both muttered.

"Good." Rosalie leaned back in her chair. "Please do not tempt me to resort to harsher penalties. You may continue with Ms. Brandon, Mr. Masen."

Bella returned to her seat with forced composure and grabbed her bottle of water. As she twisted off the cap, she pretended it was Edward's neck.

For his part, Mr. Masen kept his coolest mask in place as he faced Ms. Brandon once more. "Where were we?"

"Bella objected when you asked if I had more than fifty visions of you killing her," she droned.

"Right." He turned to the judge. "Well?"

"Overruled. Move along."

"Just one more question, Ms. Brandon." Edward regarded her seriously. "If you've had dozens upon dozens upon dozens of visions of me killing Ms. Swan, why would you think it safe for me to stay with her"

Alice bared her fangs and leaned forward. "Because leaving her would destroy you both. And because, in case you haven't noticed, she is still alive. Which means no matter how tempted you might be, love is stronger than the shadow of death."

Edward leaned forward. "And you're willing to bet her fragile life on that?"

"Her life wouldn't be so fragile if you'd change her like she wants."

"And what about her soul?" His voice shook as he gripped the edge of the witness stand. "Is it worth it to risk her soul for the sake of keeping her with me forever?"

"As you will die without her either way, yes." They were nose-to-nose now. "And if Bella is willing to risk it, then you should respect her choice."

Edward stalked away from Alice and planted himself back in his chair, slamming his notepad on his desk as the room waited for him to reply. When he fell silent and still, Rosalie looked to Bella. "Redirect?"

Bella glanced at Edward—noting the tension in his shoulders and jaw—and shook her head.

"Then you may step down, Ms. Brandon," Rosalie replied.

Alice left the witness stand with far less enthusiasm and passed Bella's table with a muted smile. And though Bella felt Alice's testimony could not have gone better, she also felt the man across the aisle would never listen to reason.

And if so, then what was the point of this case?

What was the point of any of it?

**So what did we think of Edward's cross? How did Alice do? And who will Bella call next? Tune in next week, dear readers! xoxo**


	11. Chapter 11: The Expert

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Based on the fact that nearly everyone wants to string Edward up by his frozen toes… or as _twihardchick _requested, "Can you write me into this story so that I can kick Edward's butt?"… I figured it was time to hear from him.**

**This is the longest chapter so far… more than 3,000 words… so enjoy it!**

**Chapter 11: The Expert**

**Edward's POV**

Edward kept his eyes down, focusing his attention on the scribbled notes in front of him.

As if he needed to write anything down.

As if he needed to be reminded why he was doing this.

He knew Bella was looking at him—he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head, her disappointment when he did not look up—but he ignored it.

He ignored her, though it ripped up his heart like so many jagged knives.

He knew what they thought, and not just because he heard their thoughts. He saw it in Rosalie's eyes, heard it in Esme's sighs, sensed it in Alice's smirks.

They thought him foolish for throwing away the best thing that ever happened to him.

They thought him arrogant for presuming to know what was best for her, for exalting his will above her right to choose.

And they thought him deluded for believing he would survive without her light in his life.

But they were wrong, wrong on all accounts.

Edward was not throwing her away—he was keeping her away from danger.

He was not exalting his will above hers—he was exalting her precious life above all else.

And quiet as he kept it, he had no intention of surviving a single moment without her.

Edward could be stealth when necessary, invisible when it suited him. Thus he would remain in the shadows of her life until it came to a ripe and proper end some seventy or eighty years from now.

He would watch her go to college, blaze the trail of her choice in the world, and make a mark almost as lasting as the one she'd left on his heart.

He would watch her marry some sensible human, some scholar or humanitarian of sorts, take his last name, and make him the luckiest bastard on the face of the earth.

And he would fight daily not to kill that man for taking romantic liberties with the woman he loved, allowing him to breathe only because he was her pleasure.

And when she took her last breath, he would watch that too, ensuring she was truly gone before hightailing it to Volterra to follow shortly thereafter.

He would do it all, do anything, as long as she remained safe.

And as long as he remained in her life, she would never be safe.

So he was risking it all—his reputation, his family, his heart—to ensure her perpetual safety. No price was too high, no tactic too low.

As long as she was safe.

Rosalie asked if the plaintiff was ready with her next witness, and Bella came to her feet. As her troubled brown eyes drifted his way again, he tucked his love away in that iron-clad promise he'd made in Phoenix, to stay only as long as was best for her.

And though her love changed him in more ways than his labrynthian brain could count, it was no longer best for her.

_He _was no longer best for her.

So he had no choice but to take himself away.

And die trying.

"I call Dr. Carlisle Cullen to the stand," she said.

Edward winced, cursing himself for not seeing this coming. Since the trial was announced, the Cullens did their best to keep him in the dark about which of them were testifying for the other side. He knew his own witness list and figured opposing counsel would duplicate at least some of his choices. But he'd made a conscious decision not to call either of his parents and assumed she would make the same choice.

But as the distinguished gentleman passed in the aisle between them, he realized he'd made a serious error in judgment.

And he hoped it would be the only one of the day.

Carlisle took the stand and tried to appear neutral as he was sworn in by Emmett. But despite his best efforts, his thoughts betrayed him.

"_Stop this, Edward."_ He kept his eyes down._ "Run to her side, beg her forgiveness, and stop this before you destroy us all."_

The low growl escaped Edward almost without permission, and Rosalie tapped her gavel on the block, leaning forward. "Is there a problem, Mr. Masen?"

Edward noted the uptick in Bella's heart rate and forced himself under control again. He was willing to dash her hopes for eternal happiness and make her hate him if that's what it took.

But he would not frighten her. Not if he could help it.

"My sincerest apologies to the court." He came slowly to his feet, looking past Bella to his father. "I was lost in thought."

"See that you find yourself again," Rosalie replied tightly. "You may proceed, Ms. Swan."

Bella swallowed hard, fisting her hands at her side, and Edward wondered for the forty-third time today what she was thinking. And because he didn't know as usual, and because he couldn't cross-examine his father as punishment, he would have to resort to other means of getting his point across.

As he said, no tactic was too low.

"Thank you, Your Honor." Turning to Carlisle, Bella smiled. "And thank you for agreeing to do this, Dr. Cullen."

"It is my pleasure, Ms. Swan. I admire what you're doing and am happy to help any way I can."

"Objection." Edward glared at his father. "The witness is not allowed to offer commentary on the case."

"Sustained," Rosalie replied. "Dr. Cullen's observations are stricken from the record and he is hereby admonished to keep his thoughts to himself unless they are requested."

"Pardon me," Carlisle said. "It shall not happen again."

"Continue, Ms. Swan," Rosalie said.

"Dr. Cullen, how long have you known Mr. Masen?"

"Eighty-seven years."

"What was he like?"

"Objection," Edward sighed. "Vague."

"Sustained. Please rephrase, Ms. Swan."

"Yes, Your Honor." Bella glared at Edward, and he tampered down the riot in his breast at her disapproval. "How would you describe Mr. Masen's temperament in his first few decades of immortal life?"

Carlisle crossed his arms and leaned back. "Edward was a complex individual..."

"Objection!"

Rosalie cursed under her breath. "What now, Mr. Masen?"

"'Complex' is an imprecise characterization."

"If Mr. Masen would allow Dr. Cullen to actually complete an answer," Bella hissed, "perhaps he would find the precision he seeks."

"I agree." Rosalie leaned forward on the desk. "Mr. Masen, your objection is overruled. And I caution you not to exasperate this court by interrupting every few minutes."

"With all due respect, Your Honor," Edward said. "I have the right to object when I see fit."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "And I have the right to stop you if I see fit. Now please take your seat."

Edward held Rosalie's gaze without moving, and she growled at him in her mind. _"I know what you're doing, Edward. You're trying to sabotage Carlisle's testimony to compensate for your inability to cross-examine him. Don't you think you're hurting Bella enough without the added insult of undermining these proceedings with childish tactics?"_

Edward blinked in surprise at Rosalie's mental chiding, then marveled at how effectively she trapped him. He could not reveal she'd spoken to him without also revealing what she'd said. And though he cared for nothing else beyond Bella's eternal safety, he was loath for the room at large to know his plan.

Begrudgingly, he nodded to the bench and resumed his seat. _"Well played, Your Honor," _ he thought to himself. _"Very well played."_

Rosalie hid her satisfaction as she gave Carlisle leave to finish his answer.

"As I said, Edward was complex: morally upstanding yet profoundly self-loathing, cautious yet reckless, ambitious yet introverted. A fascinating amalgam of endless contrasts."

In spite of herself, Bella smiled, and her indulgence of Edward's faults made his heart ache.

"Was he happy in his new life?"

"Not really. At least not for the first eighty-six years."

"What if anything changed in the eighty-sixth year of your acquaintance with him?"

Carlisle's smile was immediate. "You, my dear. Your love changed Edward, and all of us for that matter, in ways from which we shall never recover."

Bella blushed at his praise, and Edward clenched his fists beneath the table to quell the urge to stroke her warming cheeks.

"How so?" Bella asked.

"At first, Edward was nervous around you, angry even. He feared killing you that first day such that he fled the state to escape temptation."

Bella raised her hand to pause him. "Just a moment, Dr. Cullen. I'd just like to make sure I understand. Are you saying Mr. Masen's thirst for my blood was so strong he left the state to avoid killing me?"

"That is correct."

"And that is because I am, as Ms. Brandon put it, his singer?"

"Yes."

Bella folded her arms beneath her chest. "Dr. Cullen, how long have you been a vampire?"

Edward leaned forward in his chair, confused by the shift in questioning. "Three hundred forty-two years," Carlisle replied.

"So you've had more than three centuries' worth of personal experience as a vampire?"

"I have, yes."

"Would you say you know a great deal of vampires?"

Edward started to object to the vagueness of the phrase "great deal of vampires" but felt it wasn't worth risking Rosalie's contempt.

"I would, yes."

"Your Honor, if it please the court, I would like Dr. Cullen to be considered an expert on vampire behavior given his age and experience in the immortal world."

Rosalie looked at Edward. "Any objection, counselor?"

Edward swallowed his first reply. "None that I can vocalize, Your Honor."

Rosalie actually smiled. "The Court hereby considers Dr. Cullen an expert. Please continue, Ms. Swan."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Bella's eyes softened. "Dr. Cullen, I need to ask you some awkward questions, and I would appreciate it if you would answer them fully and without regard for my feelings. Is that understood?"

Carlisle frowned. "Yes, Ms. Swan."

"Good. Now you testified Edward was so tempted to kill me he had to leave Forks to leave me alive, correct?"

"That is correct."

"Of all the vampires you know, what percentage would have been able to do that?"

"I'm sorry?"

"When forced to sit beside their singer for forty-five minutes in a stifling classroom, her blood and scent swirling around them like a heady fog, what percentage of the vampires you know would have been able to leave that singer alive?"

Carlisle gaped at Bella as did the rest of the gathered immortals. "Uh, not very many."

"And how many would have thought it worthwhile to up and leave the state to protect that singer from their thirst?"

"Objection!" Edward finally found his voice. "It is an established fact that vegetarian vampires have better control than traditional ones. That respect for human life makes it highly unlikely that any vegetarian vampires would drain their singer in a room full of humans."

Bella's smile was almost smug. "Yes, it does, Mr. Masen. Thank you for pointing that out."

Edward's mouth fell open as he realized his mistake. To Rosalie's credit, she kept her voice neutral when she said, "Mr. Masen, you seem to have validated Ms. Swan's point. Do you still wish to enter an objection?"

"No, ma'am." He took his seat without another sound.

"Then please continue, Ms. Swan."

Bella nodded to Rosalie then turned back to Carlisle. "Dr. Cullen, I'm afraid Mr. Masen's observation preempted your answer. Would you mind answering my last question regarding the percentage or number of vampires you know who would flee the state to avoid killing their singer?"

"Sure, Ms. Swan. Although I agree with Mr. Masen that most civilized vampires would take proper measures to avoid unnecessary loss of human life, I also think leaving the state altogether was an extreme reaction."

"I see. And why do you think Mr. Masen took such extreme measures?"

"Several reasons, I'd say. First, Mr. Masen had not taken a human life in more than seventy years and had no wish to sully that record. Second, Mr. Masen's aforementioned self-loathing likely filled him with a considerable amount of guilt regarding the strength of his urge to kill you."

"Is there a third reason?"

An indulgent smile spread across Carlisle's face. "I am looking at the third reason, Ms. Swan."

Bella fought a smile as Edward fought a groan of displeasure. "Let us fast forward a bit, shall we?" Bella retrieved her notebook from her desk. "When did you and I meet?"

"At the hospital on the day Tyler Crowley's van skidded into your truck."

"Now based on the nature of that accident, what should have been the extent of my injuries?"

Carlisle's golden eyes darkened, and he looked away. "You should have been killed on impact."

Edward's heart constricted at the memory of that fateful day, and he ached to wrap Bella in his arms just to confirm she was indeed safe.

For the moment at least.

"And that clearly did not happen," Bella said after a moment.

"Correct."

"And why not?"

"Because Edward saved your life."

Bella suddenly looked at Edward, her eyes burning a hole in his soul. "He _saved_ my life?"

"Yes."

"The vampire for whom my blood constantly calls_ saved_ my life?"

"Yes."

"And how did he do that?"

"According to identical accounts from all four of my children, Edward saw what was about to happen in Alice's mind, sped across the crowded parking lot, and placed himself between you and the van to absorb its impact."

"He sped across the school parking lot in plain view of dozens of students?"

"Yes, he did."

"Didn't he run the risk of someone seeing him?"

"Yes."

"And wouldn't that have exposed your secret or at the very least forced your family to leave Forks?"

"Yes."

"And doesn't such hastiness fly directly in the face of the discretion with which your family so proudly lives?"

"Yes."

"So why would he do that?"

"In his own words, when faced with the prospect of your immediate death, all he could think was, 'Not her.'" Carlisle's eyes softened. "He loved you even then."

"Objection," Edward said, though his heart wasn't in it. "Presumptuous."

"Sustained," Rosalie sighed with equal weariness. "Dr. Cullen's last statement will be stricken from the record."

"My apologies, Your Honor."

"Accepted, Dr. Cullen," Rosalie replied. "Ms. Swan, please proceed."

"Thank you, Judge Hale."

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering how much more of this he could take. Loath though he was to admit it, Bella's case against him was both subtle and solid. And if she continued on this string of success, she might very well win this case.

And he could not allow that, no matter how it touched his heart to know she wanted him so.

"Dr. Cullen," Bella was saying, "you heard Ms. Brandon's testimony about her visions of Mr. Masen killing me, correct?"

"Yes."

"How did those visions affect Mr. Masen?"

"He was deeply disturbed by them." Carlisle shook his head. "It was as if his heart and body were constantly at war—your love or your blood—and he was deathly afraid his body would win."

Bella turned to Rosalie. "May I approach the witness?"

"You may."

Bella set her notebook on the witness stand and turned over her right wrist. "Dr. Cullen, what is this?"

Carlisle sighed. "It is the scar of a vampire bite."

"How did I get it?"

"In Phoenix. When James bit you."

Edward gripped the sides of his chair, nearly turning it to kindling as Bella stroked her cold skin. "What normally happens when a vampire bites a human?" she asked Carlisle.

"The vampire's venom spreads throughout the body and in about three days' time turns the human into a vampire."

"But I am still human, am I not?"

"You most certainly are."

Bella turned and looked at Edward, refusing to speak until he lifted his eyes. And the searching look she gave him knocked him on his ass. "And why is that?"

"Because Edward saved you."

Bella did not release Edward from her gaze. "And how did he do that?"

"He sucked out the venom."

Her eyes flashed then she returned her attention to her witness. "He sucked out the venom?"

"Yes."

"But the venom was in my bloodstream, was it not?"

"That is correct."

"Which means he also tasted my blood?"

"Yes, he did."

"That blood which called to him as none other ever had or will?"

"Yes."

"So he drank some of my blood?"

"Yes!" Edward roared as he came to his feet. "The witness stated more than once that I sucked her blood. Why must she continue to harp on that?"

Rosalie tapped her gavel on the wooden block several times causing Emmett to fly out of the room and return with a new one. "I got it!"

"I'm good, Mr. McCarty," Rosalie smiled, after checking the block was still intact. "Thank you."

"Just doin' my job," Emmett replied, setting the unused block on the small table beside him.

Rosalie returned her attention to the exasperated defendant. "Mr. Masen, was that outburst your rather inappropriate way of voicing an objection?"

"Yes, Your Honor. Please. That question has been asked and answered."

Rosalie waited a beat. "Sustained. Ms. Swan, please move on."

"My pleasure, Your Honor." Bella's eyes pinned Edward in place as he sank back in his chair. "Dr. Cullen, according to Ms. Brandon's visions, one taste of my precious blood would be all it took for Mr. Masen to end my life. How do you explain the fact that I am still alive and still human?"

"Very simply, Ms. Swan." Carlisle's tone brooked no argument. "Mr. Masen's love for you is stronger than his thirst for your blood."

"And I have the scar to prove it."

Edward tore his hand through his hair. "Your Honor..."

"Withdrawn," Bella said. "Just a few more areas to cover, Dr. Cullen."

"Take your time, Ms. Swan."

Bella flipped through her notebook, tapping her pen against the pad. "I'd like to talk to you about your wife."

"Esme?" Carlisle glanced her way. "Sure, if you'd like."

"How long have you been married?"

"Eighty-four years."

"And how long have you loved her?"

"Ninety-four years," he smiled.

"So you spent ten years dating?"

"As if I could hold out so long," he chuckled. "No, I'm afraid there were serious obstacles preventing our union."

"Such as?"

"For starters, she was a human girl of sixteen when I met her, and I did not think myself worthy of her love."

"Much like Mr. Masen does not think himself worthy of mine?"

Carlisle paused as if expecting Edward to object. "Precisely. Then our lives took us in different directions, and I did not know if I would ever see her again." Here his eyes darkened, and Edward winced at his venomous thoughts toward Charles Evenson. "But God saw fit to unite our paths again, and though the circumstances were tragic, I was honored and blessed to make her my wife shortly thereafter."

"And how have things been since then?"

His voice warmed with affection. "A literal dream come true."

"How did you cope in that ten-year period without her?"

Carlisle cringed, his happiness gone in an instant. "Though I found partial satisfaction in my work at the hospital and in my eventual companionship with Edward, living without Esme was the closest to hell I should ever hope to come."

"Would you ever want your children to experience such separation from their mate?"

"I would sooner throw myself on a raging pyre."

"If I may return to Mr. Masen." Bella shut her notebook, cradling it to her chest. "Even with everything he has done since Tuesday, do you think Edward still loves me?"

Edward did not dare raise his eyes, as this was the first time she'd spoken his name all day. "I think he loves you more than ever," Carlisle replied.

"Then why is he doing this?"

Carlisle sighed. "Because Edward believes he can save your life by leaving you. And saving your life is the most important thing to him."

"I see," Bella said. "And what would happen if I died because he wasn't here?"

Edward's head shot up, his face contorted in shock.

Carlisle leaned forward, his ancient eyes sullied with sadness. "It would kill him."

His malediction echoed in the ensuing silence, and a few moments passed before Bella indicated she was finished with her witness.

"Very well." Rosalie cleared her throat. "As Mr. Masen is disallowed from cross-examining this witness, Dr. Cullen, you may step down."

Edward did not notice the sympathetic look his father gave as he passed his table. Nor did he pay attention to the bawdy jokes Emmett was telling under his breath to lighten the mood.

No, he only had eyes and ears for Bella.

He watched as she resumed her seat and took a long drink of water, her eyes straight ahead as she did so. He noted how she angled her body away from him, as if he did not exist.

He heard the quickening of her heartbeat, though he could not guess the reason. And he heard her soft sighs, again ignorant of their root.

But he kept his blazing gaze upon her, wondering above all at the meaning behind her final, wholly unexpected question. And as her mind continued to taunt him with its silence, Edward feared he might combust from the force of his inner conflict.

"_And rightfully so,"_ he thought bitterly.

**Now I don't expect this chapter to change most of your minds about where Ed is coming from, but I do hope you at least see he is motivated by love.**

**Oh… and if you're so inclined, follow me on Twitter at _ladylibre_. And if you send me your handle, I'll follow you too!**

**Can't wait to hear from you! XOXO**


	12. Chapter 12: Gathering Her Wits

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Replies to Ed's POV ranged from supportive to sympathetic to scathing. But I think _Bow to your sensei _ said it best: "Sometimes even the purest love can make someone act like an idiot."True that, Btys. True that.  
**

**Also, thanks to _notthatamanda_ for pimping this story on Twitter! If anyone else is rec'ing me anywhere, please let me know so I can properly thank you! **

**Now let's get back to it, yeah? This chapter is a bit different, but I hope you like it.  
**

**Chapter 12: Gathering Her Wits**

**Bella's POV**

Edward's eyes were fixed on Bella, scorching the side of her face. Swallowing hard, she met his tortured eyes, and her warring urges to smother him with hugs or stab him with a flaming spear nearly split her heart in twain.

She needed a break.

Bella dragged her eyes from Edward, doing her best to keep a tight grip on her bottle of water and sanity. Having replaced the cap after her last sip, she set it atop the pile of napkins she used as coaster and slowly came to her feet.

"Your Honor, if it please the court, may I take a brief recess?"

Rosalie was mid-nod when she remembered to ask the defendant's permission. "Any objection, Mr. Masen?"

Bella refused to turn his away again and barely heard his verbal agreement.

"Is anything wrong, Ms. Swan?" the judge asked.

"No, Your Honor." Bella's smile was fake and uncomfortable. "Just need a human moment, ten minutes tops."

Rosalie consulted the clock on the wall. "Take fifteen. We'll reconvene at 11:30." She tapped the gavel on the wooden block, prompting Emmett to call out, "All rise for the plaintiff's exit!"

"That's not necessary, Em," Rosalie said.

"Of course it is," he replied. "Bella's leaving the room, and vampires should rise for humans out of respect."

Rosalie's expression softened as she looked down at her husband. "You're such a teddy bear."

"And fifteen minutes is plenty of time for me to get up under that robe."

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, poorly hiding her amused arousal. But as she faced Bella, Rosalie's mood shifted. "Ms. Swan, perhaps we should adjourn for your lunch now. You look alarmingly pale."

"Thank you, Your Honor, but fifteen minutes is plenty of time." She started to leave the room, pausing in the middle of the aisle. "Though can anything be done to give me a bit of privacy?"

Rosalie looked to Alice who nodded. "Your Honor, press that red button beneath your table on the left."

Rosalie did, and every vampire in the room winced.

"What happened?" Bella asked.

"It's a noise distorter," Alice said. "We had one installed in the house over the summer, and I thought it might come in handy here."

"What's it for?"

"It distracts us with a complicated assortment of discordant sounds, making it more difficult for us to focus on sounds outside the room," Emmett said proudly. "Me and Eddie designed it."

Bella turned to the second vampire he mentioned. "Why?"

"To give us some privacy when you came to the house," he said in a flat tone. "It was my idea." Then he raised his eyes to Rosalie. "But we're in recess, so she cannot use that against me in court."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and waved her hand at Bella. "Take your recess, Ms. Swan."

"Thank you." Bella kept her eyes ahead and her steps sure as she exited the courtroom. According to Alice's earlier text, the bathroom was at the opposite end of the hall on the left. It wasn't as far away as Bella would have liked—the next county would have been ideal—but in her current condition, Bella couldn't afford to be picky.

She ignored the recent paint job, full-length mirror, and wall sconces in the sitting room. Didn't care that the lone bathroom stall was the size of her bedroom and had a stand-up shower. Nor did she notice her favorite hand soap and lotion on a side table beside the pedestal sink.

Instead she flopped down on the upholstered bench, spread her knees, and put her head between them. Pinching the bridge of her nose had become a calming habit, but when her brain caught up to the familiar action, she snatched her hand away and sighed.

"_Maybe some water on my face would help."_

Bella grabbed the facecloth on the metal hook beside the sink and ran it under cool water until just damp. She patted her cheeks, forehead, and neck, stopping short of pressing it against her eyes. Feeling a bit of relief, Bella repeated the action with the moist cloth, tapping her wrists and temples as well. Her left temple throbbed, and she wondered it didn't burst with the effort she used to hold herself together.

It had been two days since Edward dragged her into the forest, two days since he spoke that heartbreaking string of words that destroyed the tenuous peace in which they existed since her disastrous birthday party. Two days since she harnessed the strongest of her indignation and challenged him to a courtroom duel.

And two whole days since she gave herself a two-word instruction that allowed her to survive his ridiculous assertions, a two-word command that would carry her through this trial and beyond, no matter its outcome.

"_Don't cry."_

She did not cry when Edward told her they were leaving, that "they" did not include her. She did not cry when he said his world was not for her, that he did not want her.

Though his words killed her, shattered her soul into a million sad pieces, Bella did not cry then and had not cried since. And if she could force herself to hold on, she would not cry ever.

Because she feared if she did, she would never stop.

Like most girls who had never considered themselves romantic, Bella scoffed at those melodramatic rom-coms her Phoenix classmates were so found of. The ones where the heroine fell to her knees, begging and pleading when her beau called it quits. The ones where she gained or lost a ton of weight, destroyed her life or abandoned it altogether, choosing to spend her remaining days mourning his loss until the next guy came along.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Bella never understood those women, how they could let one man break them so thoroughly. She thought them naïve, stupid, and worst of all, pathetic. Her mother would break out the tissues at the very start of the film, preparing to match the female lead tear-for-tear, and Bella would grab a similar handful to muffle her laughter.

Because she was far too smart and well-adjusted to ever behave that way.

Bella replaced the washcloth on its hook and covered her mouth with her hands, forcing back a snort. The only thing keeping her from crying was too shameful to admit aloud, a reason making her more pathetic than the very women she'd mocked.

She didn't want to hurt Edward.

After all he'd said and done, all he was prepared to do that she hadn't yet seen, Bella knew Edward loved her, knew he loved her more than he could safely handle. And hearing her cry would hurt him more than he was hurting himself, and she could not allow that.

"_And if this were a movie, there'd be an appropriately melancholy instrumental playing in the background. Probably a piano solo, since he's so good at that."_

Bella huffed at her musings and forced herself to focus. She did not want to hurt Edward, that was true. But neither was she in a position to lose her grip. The trial was going well, in her favor, she dared believe, and coming apart now was not an option.

Not when she was so close to winning.

There was little point in lamenting their current situation as Edward had left her little choice the other day. She tried at once point last night to convince herself not to show up, to leave him twisting in the wind as he deserved.

But she couldn't do that to the stupid vampire she loved.

And boy, was he being stupid right now.

Stupid because he couldn't see what was right in front of him. Stupid because his fear and recklessness left him little choice. Stupid because he refused to listen to reason.

And stupid because he thought leaving her forever would keep her safe.

"Ugh!" Bella groaned, reaching into the covered wicker basket for a granola bar, again her favorite kind. "Son of a puss-addled, crapweaseling, back-scratcher!"

She tore open the wrapper and took an indelicate bite, heedless of the crumbs falling onto her skirt. As long as she lived, she would never understand how he could be immortally intelligent and make such a moronic decision.

He might as well have said, "To keep you dry, I'm going to toss you into the ocean."

And even here, in the relative privacy of the bathroom, Bella felt bad for judging him so harshly. She knew, despite his ardent attempts to hide it, Edward was hurting, flogging himself with each objection and cross-examination. He did not want to hurt Bella anymore, did not want to put his family through the torture of watching their love implode.

But stronger than it all was his refusal to further endanger Bella's life with his presence. And if she would just surrender and let him go, this would all be over.

This would all be over.

Bella stopped chewing, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Was that the right answer? Should she return to the courtroom and withdraw her petition?

Edward would not relent in this; she knew that. Her case was winding down, and it would soon be his turn. And though she was clueless about his witness list, she knew it would be brutal, nearly impossible to withstand. And the more she persisted, the harder he would fight.

Fight until everyone lost.

What's more, his masochism was so profound he would approve his self-destruction and see the eventual loss of his family as justice being served. He might even be twisted enough to stand by and watch Bella move on, lurking on the periphery of her life until it ended.

A part of Bella saw something beautiful in his willingness to sacrifice it all for her sake, understood on a subconscious level he was captivated by love and motivated by fear. And with no real-world experience with either, he was bound to make mistakes.

But that part was small, infinitesimal compared to the part that saw nothing but that trademark Edward Cullen arrogance with its unspeakable audacity deciding what was best for her without giving her so much as a vote.

And it was that louder, stronger, pissed off part of Bella that brought her to her feet and propelled her out of the bathroom with purpose. Yes, she wanted to cry because the boy she loved broke her heart. But more than anything else, she wanted to wipe the floor with his presumptuous ass and make him sorry he ever tried to run and ruin her life.

Motivated by love or not.

Bella burst through the courtroom doors without a hello or how-de-do and planted herself behind her desk, her eyes blazing with determination as the judge brought the room to order.

"Are you ready to continue, Ms. Swan?" Rosalie asked.

"Most definitely, Your Honor."

Bella glared at Edward, noting the confusion in his eyes.

"_Game back on, Cullen."_

**This chapter was inspired by _Nyx'sReincarnation_ who thought that Bella's rather OOC behavior might warrant some explanation. Though I hadn't considered that before, Bella seemed to agree with her. So thanks for voicing your thoughts!**

**Truly, THANK YOU ALL for your comments/questions. I know where this story is headed, but sometimes I get stuck… hence not updating in more than a week. And this time, like often happens, your observations/reactions get me unstuck, so thank you for sharing them.**

**See you again soon! xo**


	13. Chapter 13: Going in for the Kill

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**So glad everyone enjoyed the peek into Bella's mind! After reading it, _gingerhat _said, "I still say [Edward] needs something akin to a gut punch to a human in an emotional/mental sense." **

**Ging, I think Bella agrees with you…**

**Chapter 13: Going in for the Kill**

**Bella's POV**

"Ms. Swan," Rosalie said. "Call your next witness."

"Your Honor, I'd like to call Dr. Cullen back to the stand."

Edward came to his feet. "Objection."

"What is your problem now?" Bella cried then caught herself. "I apologize, Your Honor."

Rosalie seemed almost pleased by the outburst as she turned to Edward. "I echo her question, Mr. Masen. On what grounds do you object?"

"You earlier declared witnesses may only be called once per side."

"She also said she would not tolerate errant outbursts," Bella snapped. "And if she were following the letter of that law, you would have been banned from the courtroom two witnesses ago!"

"Order in the court!" Rosalie tapped her gavel on the wooden block, smiling as she did so. "I've always wanted to say that."

Mock-frowning at Alice's snicker, she cleared her throat. "Uh, Mr. Masen, Ms. Swan does have a point. I have allowed you some latitude in the outburst regard, so I see no reason why she should not be allowed to re-call Dr. Cullen.

"But you are under restriction, Ms. Swan," Rosalie continued. "You may only introduce new evidence, and you must avoid any questions already asked and answered. Is that clear?"

Bella grinned though she was anything but happy. "Crystal."

"Very well. Mr. Masen, your objection is officially overruled, but bear in mind that this time, you will have the opportunity to cross-examine him." Rosalie turned to Bella. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"No worries, Your Honor." Her steely eyes drifted toward the defendant. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"If you say so," Rosalie replied. "Dr. Cullen, please return to the stand, remembering you are still under oath."

Bella flipped through some pages in her notebook as Carlisle resumed the stand, but only to keep from glaring at Edward the entire time. She knew the Cullens heard her colorful outburst in the bathroom, and as she'd kept her thoughts to herself, she also knew none of them—save Alice—knew why.

And if Alice knew what was good for her, she'd keep her chirpy trap shut.

"Dr. Cullen," Bella stepped around her desk. "I'd like to ask you some questions about vampire living, if I could."

"Certainly." Carlisle tried to hide his wariness at returning to the stand, but Bella didn't miss his anxious glances in Edward's direction.

"And I apologize if the nature of these questions makes you uncomfortable. I mean no harm or disrespect."

"Understood."

"Now, we earlier discussed how vampires are 'born,' so to speak. How do they die?"

"Uh, well, vampires die when their bodies are dismembered and all the pieces are burned."

"So no crosses, garlic necklaces, or holy water, huh?"

Carlisle chuckled. "I'm afraid not."

"What about flaming stakes through their stubborn hearts?"

Edward huffed but did not object as Carlisle answered. "No."

"So vampires are born one way and can only die one way?"

But he did come to his feet then. "Objection. Asked and answered."

"I'll rephrase," Bella said. "Vampires are inhumanly strong, so how difficult is it to dismember one?"

"Very. A vampire would have to be outnumbered, surprised, or overpowered."

"As in Phoenix when Emmett and Jasper killed James?"

"Yes. Exactly like that."

"I see." Bella paced in front of the witness stand. "How many ways can a human die?"

Carlisle leaned forward. "I'm sorry?"

"You said vampires can only die one way," Bella replied. "I want to know, based on your experience as a medical doctor, how many ways humans can die."

"Objection," Edward cried. "Dr. Cullen was not accepted as a medical expert in this trial."

"He's been a doctor for 300 years!" Bella huffed. "Does he really need to be vetted?"

"I agree with Ms. Swan," Rosalie said. "Overruled."

Edward remained on his feet, and Emmett took a step forward, folding his thick arms across his chest. "Have a seat, man."

Reluctantly, Edward sat down, trying in vain to catch Bella's eye. This time, she inspected her American manicure, wishing she'd thought to wear red nail polish. Alice clamped a hand over her mouth to rein in her glee, and Rosalie gave her a curt look before instructing Dr. Cullen to answer Bella's question.

"Well." Carlisle rubbed his chin. "There are innumerable ways for a human to die."

"Such as?"

"Broadly speaking, old age, disease, accident, natural disaster, spontaneous heart failure…"

"What about suicide?"

Edward crushed the pen in his hand to dust, cursing when the black ink ran all over his arm and notebook.

"Mr. Masen, do you need a minute?" Judge Hale asked.

"No, Your Honor. My apologies."

"Proceed, Ms. Swan."

Bella gave Edward a scathing look before returning to her witness. "Suicide is another way humans could die, correct?"

"Yes." Carlisle's voice inched up an octave. "Though that way is a bit different."

"How so?"

"Suicidal humans usually exhibit warning signs, symptoms of the underlying problem that might lead them down such a permanently destructive path."

"But if a human were abruptly forced into a traumatic situation without warning or recourse, one from which she could never escape, and especially one where that human was abandoned by her support system and reason for living, would it not be possible for that human to decide just as abruptly to end her life?"

As Esme gasped behind them, Edward slammed both hands on his desk, splitting it down the center. "Don't you dare!"

Bella whirled around so fast she could have been immortal. "Do you have a problem with my line of questioning, Mr. Masen?"

"You're goddamn right I do!"

"Well, it sucks to be you," she hissed, turning back to Rosalie who was pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, Your Honor."

"Duly noted, Ms. Swan. Bailiff, please replace the defendant's table."

"Got it!" In the commotion, Emmett had slipped through the side door of the courtroom and had reentered with a duplicate of Edward's table hoisted onto his shoulder. He set it down as if it were a feather, clearing out the original's debris.

He patted Edward's shoulder when finished, applying a bit of pressure as he leaned in. "Try not to destroy this one, eh?"

"Mr. Masen, please reset yourself as quietly as possible and do not interrupt Ms. Swan again," Rosalie sighed. "Ms. Swan, kindly do not respond to Mr. Masen's outbursts, no matter how tempted you might be."

"Of course, Your Honor," Bella said politely.

Edward continued to glare at Bella, though his eyes were more grieved than angry.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cullen," Bella said. "Where were we?"

"You were…" he cleared his throat. "…you were asking if a woman under certain, sudden circumstances might kill herself without warning."

"Ah, yes. Well?"

Carlisle looked past her to Edward, but his first son was fixated on Bella. "Yes, she might."

"And even though venom can cure anything, it cannot restart a dead heart, can it?"

Carlisle swallowed hard. "No, it cannot."

"So that poor human girl with her poor broken heart would be irrevocably dead forever?"

Carlisle winced as Esme smothered her moans with her hand. "Yes, she would."

It was then Bella faced Edward, a terrible smirk on her lips. "Wouldn't that be a waste?"

"Yes, it would," Dr. Cullen said softly. "But there is hope in a case like that."

Bella turned to him in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"In a case like that," Dr. Cullen continued, "it would be possible for that human girl to make a different choice. To decide against suicide in the interest of creating a different life."

Bella's eyes narrowed to slits. "A different life?"

"Well, yes." Carlisle shifted in his seat. "That girl, the one with the broken heart, could decide to honor the life she lost by living well in her new, uh, life."

"That is certainly a possibility, isn't it?" Bella said with surprising lightness. "Thank you for sharing that, Dr. Cullen."

"You're welcome, Ms. Swan," he replied warily.

"Let's talk about the Volturi," she said, giving the courtroom whiplash as she changed directions. "There are three of them, correct?"

"Yes. Aro, Caius, and Marcus."

Bella nodded. "And all married?"

"Yes, technically. Though Marcus' wife Didyme is deceased."

"She was killed?" Carlisle nodded. "My goodness! When?"

"Oh, about 3,000 years ago."

"Wow." Bella folded her arms beneath her chest. "When he did get over it?"

"What?"

"Well, you're saying his wife died 3,000 years ago, right?"

"Yes."

"I would assume after all that time he was able to get over it." She glanced at Edward. "Find himself a suitable distraction, perhaps?"

"No."

"No?"

"No, he did not get over it." Carlisle's tone brooked no argument. "And he never will."

"I thought vampires were creatures who are easily distracted?"

"Easily distrac—" Carlisle closed his eyes, blowing a harsh breath through his nose. "That's poppycock. A mated vampire could never distract himself from the loss of his mate once the bond is formed."

Bella came closer to the stand. "What do you mean by that last part?"

"When I fell in love with Esme as a human, I did not know she reciprocated my feelings, so we were not yet bonded as mates. Once she awakened to this life and confessed her love for me, our bond was sealed in eternity. And nothing can break it." Carlisle leaned forward in his chair. "Not time, not distance, not even death. And anyone who thinks otherwise is a damned fool. Pardon my language."

"So it is impossible for separate mates to thrive apart?"

"Ms. Swan," Carlisle's voice was ragged. "Esme is a mere twenty paces from where I sit. And although I can see and smell her, I feel her absence in my heart. Were one of us to die…" He shook his head. "I cannot imagine what would become of the other."

"But Marcus is still alive and well in Volterra, is he not?" Bella asked, surprised Edward had not yet objected.

"Alive, yes. But the only reason he has not yet tossed himself into a volcano is because Aro uses Chelsea's gift to force Marcus' perpetual loyalty to the Volturi."

"What if the separation wasn't rooted in death?" Bella paced a bit. "What if one half of the mated pair willingly severed ties with the other half?"

"Objection!" Edward barely made it to his feet. "Inaccurate."

"What?" Rosalie asked.

"I object to 'willingly' as a part of her phrasing."

"I was speaking of a hypothetical case, Your Honor," Bella replied tightly. "Surely the defendant can give me that much latitude."

"I maintain my objection," Edward fixed his darkened gaze on Bella. "We both know that hypothetical slant is a crock of shit."

"No bigger than that crock of shit you fed me the other day."

Rosalie banged the gavel on the desk so hard she cracked the judge's bench.

"Now look what you made me do!" She threw up her hands in despair. "My pretty bench is ruined!"

"I'm on it, babe!" Emmett cried, fleeing the room again.

"This is getting out of hand," Esme said loudly enough for both Edward and Bella to hear.

"Yes, it is, Mother Cullen," Rosalie stepped back as the bailiff replaced her desk. "Yes, it most certainly is." Once Emmett was done, finishing his work with a kiss to his wife's cheek, Rosalie leaned over the judge's bench, glaring at the litigants. "Bring your scrawny asses here, now!"

Bella and Edward approached the judge, giving each other a wide berth. As Rosalie's molten gold eyes met hers, Bella felt afraid for the first time all day.

"Do you understand why I don't want you speaking to each other?" she hissed. "Because when lovers are angry and at odds, they say things they cannot take back. Cruel, regrettable things neither will ever forget." She glanced at Emmett, her eyes sad. "You two have enough of those between you to last a lifetime, and I am trying with all my might to keep you from adding more.

"But I am done." She wiped her hands as if ridding them of debris. "If you want to continue your verbal assaults, adding more fuel to this destructive fire, be my guest. But don't say I didn't do my part to salvage what I could."

Leaning back in her chair, she dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "Ms. Swan, continue with Dr. Cullen, please."

"Yes, Your Honor." Bella had no intention of incurring Rosalie's ire, and she needed to rein herself in before her renewed vigor in battle lost her the war.

Her steps were labored as she returned to the witness stand, and as Edward passed behind her, she could have sworn she heard him whisper, "I'm sorry, love."

But when she turned around, he was seated at his table, his face hidden from view by the hand on his brow. With a heavy sigh, Bella faced her witness again, noting the weariness in his eyes.

"Thank you for your patience, Dr. Cullen."

"You're welcome."

"If a mated pair cannot thrive apart," she continued, "would it be fair to say that brokenhearted girl we mentioned earlier might resort to suicide in the absence of her mate?"

"Objection. Leading," Edward said.

"So much for being sorry," Bella muttered.

"What was that, Ms. Swan?" Rosalie asked.

"Nothing, Your Honor. I'll rephrase." She looked at Carlisle. "Dr. Cullen, if the human we mentioned earlier were part of a mated pair, how might she react to losing her mate?"

"Her reactions might range from anger and resentment to sadness and depression. She might gain or lose excessive amounts of weight, withdraw from her friends and normal activities, even become a different person."

"Any other possibilities?"

Carlisle looked at Edward with unreadable eyes. "She might choose suicide in lieu of living without her mate. It is a pain few can survive."

"Objection," Edward said wearily.

"Sustained. Dr. Cullen's comment will be stricken from the record."

"Let's examine the mate bond from a different angle, shall we?" Bella steepled her fingers in front of her mouth. "Dr. Cullen, who is Charles Evenson?"

Carlisle straightened in his chair. "He is the deceased ex-husband of my wife."

"Did you kill him?"

He glanced at Edward, confusing Bella, before replying, "No, but I wish I had."

Bella shivered at his grisly tone. "And why is that?"

"He hurt my mate," he snarled. "And the only acceptable punishment is death by my bare hands."

"Is it fair to say, then, that if someone kills a vampire's mate, the remaining vampire will seek revenge?"

Carlisle's eyes were black as pitch. "Until one of them dies."

"So why didn't Marcus seek revenge?"

Carlisle calmed a bit. "He does not know who killed Didyme. And with Chelsea's hold on him, he cannot spare the wherewithal to wonder or care."

"I see. But barring some sort of mind-control or psychotic break, a vampire cannot allow his mate's death to go unavenged?"

"No. As long as that vampire lives, he will do nothing else until the person responsible for his mate's death is dead."

"Did James have a mate?"

Edward's head snapped up as Carlisle replied, "Yes. Victoria."

"We have established Emmett and Jasper killed James," Bella said. "So Victoria will come after them?"

Carlisle seemed to pale despite his bloodlessness. "No, probably not."

"No?" Bella seemed confused. "Why not? If they killed James, then according to the mate bond, wouldn't Victoria have to kill them in retaliation?"

"They carried out his death, yes. But given the circumstances, I don't think Victoria would hold them responsible for it."

Bella folded her arms. "Then whom would she hold responsible?"

Carlisle sighed. "You."

"And what chance would an abandoned human girl have against a vengeful vampire with nothing to lose?"

The courtroom went eerily still for five seconds before Carlisle replied, "None."

Bella placed her hands behind her back and walked slowly toward her desk. Taking a seat, she folded her hands in her lap. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen. No further questions."

Rosalie exhaled heavily. "Mr. Masen?"

Edward did not hear the judge calling as his eyes were trained on Bella. She felt him all around her as if wrapped in his icy embrace, and it was all she could do not to crumble under his examination. But she held firm, keeping her eyes on the notebook in front of her, chanting those two words in her mind to keep from falling apart or running into his arms.

Neither impulse appropriate at the moment.

"Mr. Masen!" Rosalie called out.

"I have no questions for this witness," he murmured.

Bella looked at him then, dejected black on intense brown. And as she searched his soul, she knew she reached him. There was no more she could suggest or prove, no other weaponry needed to blow his case apart.

So she came to her feet and addressed the court. "The plaintiff rests, Your Honor."

**So… that's the end of Bella's case. What do we think? _MoJo40 – Ffaddward_ wondered what would happen when Ed got his turn. Well girlie, you're about to find out!**

**See you next time! xoxo**


	14. Chapter 14: The Defense Begins

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Such a huge response to the last chapter, thank you! As _wantmoretwilightnow_ put it, "I LOVE BADA$$ BELLA ESQUIRE!" I do too, but alas, her turn is at an end.**

**Mr. Masen, you're up…**

**Chapter 14: The Defense Begins**

**Alice's POV**

Though Alice saw it coming, she was yet surprised when Bella decided to rest. She knew Bella had additional arguments in her arsenal, powerful weapons that could blow bigger holes in Edward's case.

But Alice knew why Bella refrained. And for that, she admired her.

When Edward was at his most pigheaded—and Alice doubted he could ever top his current run of it—the temptation to wop him upside his head with a sturdy oak was overwhelming.

And she was only his sister.

But despite her humanity, Bella seemed to possess supernatural self-control as she had yet to do any more than yell at Edward, even though his idiocy was breaking her heart. Glancing at Jasper where he sat on the other side of the courtroom, she wondered if she could do the same.

"Are you sure, Ms. Swan?" Rosalie asked. "You've presented but three witnesses."

Bella nodded. "If there are no objections, I reserve the right to call a rebuttal witness after the defendant presents his case."

"Mr. Masen?"

"I have no objection, Your Honor." Edward's voice was as grave as his gaze, still fixed on Bella with laser-like focus.

"Very well. Mr. Masen, please call your first witness."

Alice closed her eyes, and Rosalie tapped her gavel. "Ms. Brandon, stop."

She opened her eyes with a start, stunned Rosalie knew her so well. Though she stayed out of Bella's future while she had presented her case, she'd had no intention of showing such restraint for Edward. After Carlisle's testimony—and the cross-examination that wasn't—Alice burned to know how on earth Edward would continue to defend himself.

But she would have to refrain to avoid Rosalie's wrath. So with a respectful nod, she folded her hands in her lap. "My apologies, Your Honor."

"See that you don't do it again," Rosalie snapped, secretly pleased. Having Alice at a rare disadvantage was going to the judge's head, but Alice could not begrudge her enjoyment.

It wasn't easy having a clairvoyant for a sister.

Shifting her focus from Rosalie, Alice expected Edward to be on his feet by now, eagerly calling out the name of his first supporter. But he remained in his seat, his head down as he stared at his phone. Bella's confusion matched that of the rest of the court, and she began nibbling on her bottom lip.

The last thing they needed was her to break the skin, so Alice sent her a quick text of warning, copying Rosalie to keep her in the loop. Bella promptly clamped her mouth shut, turning toward Alice with a small smile of thanks.

Edward had yet to move.

"Mr. Masen? Please call your first witness."

He nodded at the judge's words, his eyes still down. There was a muted buzz, and Edward came to his feet with a grimace.

In that same moment, every vampire in the room wrinkled their nose and frowned.

"What the hell is that?" Emmett asked. "It smells worse than Mike Newton after a four-on-four!"

Rosalie tapped her gavel on the wooden block, though her face was equally dismayed. "Order, Mr. McCarty. Not that I disagree with you."

Bella glanced around uncertainly, her anxiety inching higher the longer Edward remained silent.

And then he spoke.

"The defense calls Billy Black to the stand."

"What?" Jasper cried as the Quileute leader rolled through the center doors. His ancient eyes were hostile, and he visibly trembled with resentment as he proceeded to the witness stand.

Bella's shock rivaled her confusion, but she did not object as Emmett removed the chair from the witness stand and swore him in. Billy regarded her with a potent combination of pity, anger, and sadness, and she leaned forward on her elbows as Edward approached his witness.

"Thank you for coming, Elder Black," he said solemnly.

Billy snorted. "I didn't do it for you."

Rosalie's nostrils flared. "Mr. Black, I don't care why you did it. Only that you take care to be respectful while you do it, or I will not hesitate to hold you in contempt." _More than I already do, _she added under her breath.

Billy did not respond except to give a curt nod, and Alice crossed her arms with a sigh. Even if she wanted to foresee what would happen, the Elder's presence rendered her gifts useless. She'd have no choice but to observe the proceedings like everybody else.

And she really hated that.

"Elder Black," Edward began, "do you like me?"

"No."

"Do you care about me or my family?"

"Family?" He snorted. "Can the bloodless form such a bond?"

"Objection, Your Honor." Bella came to her feet. "Obnoxious and uncalled for."

Rosalie glanced at Bella, her eyes soft. "I agree, Ms. Swan. But those are insufficient reasons for a legal objection."

"Could I object morally?"

"We all do," Rosalie glared at Billy. "But I'm afraid I must overrule you. Mr. Masen, continue with your witness."

Bella sat down, folding her arms across her chest.

"If you don't care about me or my family," Edward said, "then why are you here, Elder Black?"

"Because I care about her." He angled his head toward Bella. "Not that she appreciates it."

Edward ignored his attitude. "Could you elaborate on the first part?"

"Bella is my best friend's daughter, and I've known her since she was a baby." His eyes turned wistful. "I still remember seeing her in Sarah's arms for the first time. That was a happy day."

Bella doodled on her notebook, uncomfortable with the reference to Billy's late wife. His emotions affected even Jasper, who fought against the temptation to feel sorry for him.

"Could we return to Ms. Swan?" Edward asked carefully.

Billy cleared his throat with a grunt. "Yeah, so, Bella's practically family, and her well-being means a lot to me. To all of us."

"And by 'us,' you mean…"

"The Quileute tribe," he said grandly.

"And you do not believe I am good for her well-being?"

Billy's eyes blackened. "No, I do not. I think the sooner she is away from you, from the lot of you, the better off she'll be."

Though his testimony was already underway, Alice remained frozen in shock. She knew Edward mistrusted the tribe, how he reacted when he thought Jacob was getting too close to Bella. Now he was using the pup's father to prove his case?

Things were far worse than she feared.

"Now, the peace between our families is governed by a treaty, correct?" Edward asked.

"Yes."

"And in that treaty, we are bound to keep each other's secrets, correct?"

"We are," Billy replied tightly.

"The issue before the court today is Bella's safety. I believe she is safer without me, and she does not."

"She is gravely mistaken."

"Objection." Bella placed her palms on the desk as she stood up. "Please direct the witness to keep his commentary to himself."

"Sustained. The witness's last statement will be stricken from the record."

Billy huffed his displeasure but said nothing else.

"Please continue, Mr. Masen."

"Thank you, Your Honor. Now Elder Black, Dr. Cullen earlier testified that there is a potential outside threat to Ms. Swan's life."

Billy slid forward in his seat. "What kind of threat?"

Edward's voice was low and taut. "The kind your people are genetically disposed to handle."

Billy's eyes widened, then he pointed an accusing finger at Bella. "I told you to stay away from their family, and now look what you've done. Careless, selfish girl!"

Before Rosalie could reprimand him, Edward lifted Billy out of his wheelchair by his collar, his eyes black as night. "Do not speak to her that way," he growled.

Bella gasped as Billy's face reddened, his feet dangling a foot above his chair. She wanted to speak but could not seem to find her voice.

As Rosalie raised her gavel to restore order, two Quileute boys stormed into the courtroom, their bare chests heaving with anger. "Put him down, leech! We won't say it again."

Jasper and Emmett met blurred to the center aisle, dropping into defensive crouches with darkening eyes. The Quileute boys looked at each other and prepared to advance.

"Stop!" Carlisle roared as he came to his feet. "This has gone far enough." He looked to Rosalie for permission, which she granted with a wave of her hand.

Carlisle turned to the witness stand, reluctance weighing him down. "Edward."

"No," he hissed, his body trembling. "He cannot be allowed to…"

"I know, son." At Carlisle's endearment, the Quileute boys snorted. "I know, and we will deal with that. But you must put him down. For Bella's sake, please."

The mention of her name caused Edward to face her, and her wide brown eyes were somehow soft despite her fear. At her brief nod, Edward blew out a harsh breath and gently set Billy back in his chair.

"Thank you," Carlisle said. "Jasper, Emmett? Return to your places."

"Listen to your father, boys," the taller Quileute sneered. "We wouldn't want to hurt you."

Carlisle ignored them, turning to his other sons. "Please."

Neither of them moved, and Esme stood up beside her husband. "Please."

With a resigned sigh, Jasper laid a hand on Emmett, and he stood up, reluctantly resuming his position beside the judge's table, smiling briefly at his wife. And when Jasper returned to the gallery, he sat beside his wife on the plaintiff's side, gripping her hand for solace.

Carlisle turned to the witness stand. "Are you all right, Billy?"

"Like you care, bloodsucker!" the taller boy snapped. "We should end you where you stand."

"And where would that leave us?" Billy said slowly. With a heavy sigh, he raised his eyes to his tribesmen. "If we settle a confrontation with violence, are we not guilty of the very behavior which informs their darkest nature?"

The other boy shook his head. "But he started it!"

"Enough." Billy raised a hand, and the young one fell silent. "Sam, take him home. Return for me immediately after."

Sam glared at Edward who glared right back but obeyed his leader's command. "Let's go, Jared."

With a final snort, the boys left the room. "Thank you," Carlisle said.

Instead of responding, Billy faced Bella. "I apologize for speaking to you that way. There is no justification for it."

Bella's eyes were still locked with Edward's, so she did not hear him. And though Rosalie had every right to get her attention, she did not want to interrupt.

This moment had been a long time coming.

Despite Rosalie's warnings, Alice could not contain her curiosity any longer. She concentrated all her energy on seeing if Edward's willingness to attack Billy signified anything. It was doubtful, given his stubbornness, but she had to look.

And in the stretching silence, a tenuous possibility swirled in the distance, lingering on the edges of Edward's mind.

She saw him dropping to his knees before Bella, resting his head in her lap, whispering, "Forgive me, love."

She saw Bella lay a hand atop his, stroking his hair softly as she bent to kiss his cheek. "Of course, you silly boy," she replied before he wrapped his arms around her waist and vowed to never let go again.

She saw Rosalie tap the gavel on the wooden block with a gleeful shout, dismissing the case and asking Emmett to promptly escort Billy out of the courtroom.

She saw her family whole and intact once more, as it always should have been.

The vision was so sweet and delicate Alice tensed with anticipation, and Jasper squeezed her hand in response. She tried not to focus on that, fearing the slightest movement might disable the vision before it came to life.

"It is our job to protect you from predators," Billy continued as Bella had yet to reply, "not to imitate them. And I came here today to be a friend and a haven, someone you could trust to keep you safe, and outbursts like that defeat that purpose. Please forgive me."

Something in Billy's speech changed the atmosphere, and Edward finally looked away from Bella. He clenched his fists at his sides, and the vision disappeared as if it never existed.

"Dammit!" Alice shouted. "Damn it all to hell!"

"Is there a problem, Ms. Brandon?" Rosalie asked as all eyes fell on Alice.

"Sorry, Your Honor." She forced herself to relax. "I just remembered Michael Kors will not release his line of winter weather boots until next fall, which means I'll have to settle for something from Saks."

"Well, that is a pity," Rosalie said dryly. "But if you can manage to bear the deprivation in silence, I have a few things to say."

She turned to Carlisle. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen, for bringing this court back to order. It is greatly appreciated." He resumed his seat, taking Esme's hand tightly in his.

"Ms. Swan."

Bella looked up at Rosalie's words, visibly shaken. "Yes?"

"Do you accept Billy's apology?" Rosalie dropped the respectful formalities. "If you do not, I will dismiss him from the courtroom with prejudice, forbidding him to return."

Bella glanced at Edward again, but he would not look at her. And as his resolve to win solidified again, Alice feared he might not do so again until the trial was over.

And by then, it might be too late.

**Sorry for the unresolved ending. But I have a tentative plan for the next chapter, and I need to stop here just in case I go with it.**

**What do we think of Edward's case so far? Was calling Billy a mistake?**

**FYI, school starts for my kids next week, so things might get a little hectic for me. I expect to still update weekly, but I'm sure you guys will spot me a few days here and there. Right?**

**PS – BLACK ICE and SERENITY'S PRAYER OUTTAKES readers, I'm working on your next installments as we speak. So excited!**

**One way or another, see you soon! xo**


	15. Chapter 15: Tribal Truths

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Thanks to my migraines and new schedule, I was a total fail on review replies. I'll try to correct that this time. **

**But to those who wondered about Alice having a vision with Billy in the room, in my mind, Billy was neutralized by the need to ask Bella's forgiveness. In that moment, as Alice peered into the possibilities in Edward's mind, Billy was a non-factor, rendering his presence meaningless. Alice wasn't looking at the family's future, per se. Just what Edward's decision to defend Bella might mean. As you know, I flex canon whenever I see fit, and this is just an example of that.**

**And uh, this chapter drastically changed the trajectory of this story. Gotta say I'm kinda excited… and I blame Edward, lol.**

**Chapter 15: Tribal Truths**

**Bella's POV**

Bella sat behind the plaintiff's desk, her mind in disarray. She heard Rosalie's question, had already decided to forgive Billy's outburst and allow him to continue speaking on her opponent's behalf, but she was deeply unsettled.

Something was off.

Beyond the normal realm of off-ness in her girl-who-runs-with-vampires life.

Though she had missed not a word of Billy's testimony, Bella was missing _something_, something critical. She knew Edward would pull out all the stops to prove his point, and his bringing Billy here was troubling, outrageous, and wrong.

But there was something else.

And she needed to know what.

"Ms. Swan?" Rosalie repeated.

"Just a moment, Your Honor." Bella leafed through her notebook to buy some time. "May I approach the defendant?"

Edward was on his feet. "Objection."

"On what grounds?" Bella asked.

"Talking to each other solves nothing. Is that not why we're here?"

Bella swallowed her first retort. "Her Honor asked if I accept Billy's apology, and I cannot answer her question until you answer mine."

Edward folded his arms. "And that would be?"

"Why is Billy here?" Bella walked toward Edward, her eyes seeking. "You don't trust him, and he loathes our family. So why is he here?"

Edward held her gaze for as long as he dared then turned to Rosalie. "Is she allowed to ask me that? Wouldn't her question be answered as the case proceeded?"

"How can I know if I want Billy to stay," Bella countered, "if I don't know his aim?"

Edward's reply was smooth, but Bella noted the irritation in it. "The judge did not ask 'Do you want Billy to stay?' but 'Do you accept his apology?' One has nothing to do with the other."

Rosalie drummed her fingers on her desk, watching their sparring with silent interest. Edward caught her smirk and sighed. "Your Honor, a ruling?"

"Right." Rosalie leaned forward, folding her hands beneath her chin. "Though I understand your logic, Ms. Swan, the defendant is correct. It is his prerogative to call whomever he wishes, and yours, in this instance alone, to decide if you can pardon this witness and allow his testimony to continue. Everything else is irrelevant."

Bella turned disbelieving eyes to Edward. "I don't understand you anymore."

"I could say the same."

"What?"

"You know what I am," he replied with quiet intensity. "I don't know why any of this surprises you."

With widened eyes, Bella marched into his personal space. "You don't know why I'm surprised at your determination to abandon me? To tarnish and spit on everything we have?"

"If you knew me." His eyes darkened at her nearness. "If you really knew me, Bella, you would let this go."

She blinked, her brows knitting in fury. "And if you knew me, Mr. Masen, you would know I will never let this go."

Bella turned on heel to resume her seat. "I forgive the witness, Your Honor. Let him stay and say whatever he wants."

"Very well." Rosalie swiveled in her chair to face the defendant. "Mr. Masen, your earlier treatment of your witness was an embarrassment and disgrace. Though I may have been lax before, I will in no wise permit such behavior again. If you so much as point at anyone else, I will throw out your case and rule in Ms. Swan's favor so quickly, you'll think this was all a dream. Do I make myself clear?"

Edward raised his chin. "Am I not allowed to defend my mate?"

Bella jumped to her feet. "Are you freakin' kidding me right now?"

Edward continued as if he she hadn't spoken. "From the beginning, I have maintained this trial is about the need to protect my mate from the very hint of danger. Elder Black's earlier tone and demeanor signified a threat to her, thus I was compelled to act." He looked at Emmett. "Would you not do the same for Rosalie?"

Emmett cracked his knuckles, his muscles rippling beneath his shirt. "That and more."

"Jasper?"

His sudden spike of rage engulfed the room, and Alice patted his hand to calm him.

"I take that as a 'yes.' Carlisle?"

His fond glance at Esme belied the heat in his voice. "Without delay."

Edward looked back at Rosalie, heedless of Bella's gaping incredulity. "I apologize for my lapse in decorum. But I could not and will not stand idly by while someone—anyone—threatens my mate."

"Do you hear yourself?" Bella shrieked. "This entire trial is about you leaving me defenseless!"

"I'm trying to protect—"

"Bullshit!" Bella trembled with the effort to keep from hurling a chair at Edward's head. "You are trying to have your cake and eat it too!"

"Actually the original phrase is 'eat your cake and have it too.' The current idiom makes no real sense and is…"

"You make no real sense! You unbelievable, narcissistic, bipolar pain in my fuc—"

"Order!" Rosalie tapped her gavel on the block, no longer amused. "Ms. Swan, please resume your seat."

Bella glared at Edward for another long moment before obeying the judge's command. Smoothing back her hair and adjusting the collar on her blouse, she nodded primly. "I apologize, Your Honor. And to bipolar people everywhere."

"Accepted, Ms. Swan." Rosalie released a long, heavy breath. "Mr. Masen, I heard your argument and though I share Ms. Swan's confusion, I accept your exception to protect your mate, provided you temper your reactions and behave circumspectly in all other instances."

"I will, Your Honor." Edward bowed to the bench. "Thank you."

Bella clicked her tongue, shaking her head and mumbling, "This is bullshit."

"As for you, Elder Black." Rosalie's frosty eyes made him shiver. "You are on the thinnest of ice. Consider yourself warned."

"Yes," Billy said. "Your Honor."

Rosalie waved her hand. "Proceed, Mr. Masen."

"Thank you." Edward checked his notepad before walking toward the witness stand, ignoring Bella's glare. "Elder Black, I earlier mentioned an outside threat to Ms. Swan's life. Do you recall that?"

"I do."

"You have presented yourself here as a haven for Ms. Swan, someone who could keep her safe. Is that still true?"

"Yes."

"Elder Black, how could you protect Ms. Swan from this outside supernatural threat?"

"With our gift."

"What gift is that?"

"The supernatural gift in our blood which allows us to protect our tribe and other humans from your kind."

Edward glanced at Bella, but she was inspecting her nails. "Could you be more specific?"

"Your Honor?" Billy asked. "These proceedings are governed by the treaty, correct?"

"Yes. Everyone present is bound by the secrecy clause of that document. So please answer the question as the defendant requests."

"Could he repeat the question?" Billy asked.

Rosalie nodded. "Mr. Masen?"

"Yes. Elder Black, explain to the court how you could protect Ms. Swan with specificity regarding this supernatural gift."

"Our tribe has within its blood the power of the wolf." His voice deepened with ancient wisdom. "And when quickened by the threat of the cold ones, we are able to transform into wolves to destroy that threat."

"Do all of you have this gift?" Edward asked. "Do you?"

"I do not." Billy looked away. "But Sam and Jared manifest it, and Jake is…"

A loud outburst of laughter erupted from Bella's side of the room, and she covered her mouth with folded hands as the startled room looked her way.

"Is there a problem, Ms. Swan?" Rosalie asked as Edward sighed.

"I'm sorry, Your Honor, but I couldn't hold it in any longer." She swept the collecting moisture from her eyes. "I mean, I knew Billy was desperate to keep me from all of you, but I never thought he'd invent such an outlandish story."

"Ms. Swan, the witness was sworn in," Rosalie said. "He is obligated to tell the truth."

"Is that why you believe this ridiculousness about wolves and cold ones or whatever it is?"

Rosalie folded her arms. "Do you have an objection?"

"Don't you?" Bella cried. "I mean, with all due respect, are you really buying this nonsense?"

"It is not nonsense, Ms. Swan." Billy's tone was a shade off hostile. "And you would do well to respect our tribal truths."

"Your Honor, I…" Bella looked at Edward. "I know she told you not to… do what you do, but surely she'll make an exception for this because I just…"

Rosalie tapped her gavel on the wooden block with gentle authority. "Ms. Swan, you are out of order."

"But I…"

"I know this is surprising." Carlisle's kind voice turned Bella's head toward the gallery. "Especially because you didn't believe Jacob when he told you this before. But I assure you, Bella, Billy is in earnest."

Bella blinked at him, barely registering Esme's sympathetic nodding. "Jacob?"

"On the beach," Carlisle repeated. "At La Push."

Bella stared ahead at nothing, her mind racing. Then bits and pieces from her long ago chat with Jacob came back to her mind, and she gasped aloud. "Oh my god! That stuff is true?"

"Yes," Carlisle said.

She looked back at Billy then at Carlisle. "So he's really a…?"

"I'm sure Edward will encourage clarification," Carlisle said, "but they are…"

"That's why you were so angry when he came to my house." Bella walked toward Edward, his eyes tight with anxiety. "You thought he was going to tell me?"

"Bella, this is not…"

"Don't give me that!" Bella's voice betrayed her anxiety. "This is too big, Edward, please… don't be like that now."

He tried to maintain his indifference, but her pleading eyes pulled the truth from his heart. "I didn't want him tainting things," he ground out. "Infecting you with his bias. You didn't believe the boy, but I didn't want to risk it again."

"But I already chose you." She reached for the hand covering his face. "Nothing he said would have mattered or..."

"And it doesn't matter now." Edward spun just out of her reach. "Things have changed."

Bella dropped her hand to her side. "Yes, they certainly have." She stepped toward the judge's bench with a short bow. "Thank you for your patience, Your Honor. I have no formal objection, so please pardon my interruption."

"Apology accepted, Ms. Swan." She watched Bella take her seat without another sound, keeping her eyes on the notepad in front of her. "Mr. Masen, you may continue questioning your witness."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Edward glanced at Bella, but she didn't notice.

She barely paid attention during the remainder of Billy's testimony.

She heard his explanation of their tribe's gift, its discovery several generations ago. She heard his repeated insistence that protecting humans from vampires was the Quileutes' duty and right, one they honor to the death. And she heard Billy promise her safety on the reservation against any vampire attack.

"There would be no need to worry," Billy said solemnly. "Bella would be absolutely safe with our tribe. Nothing or no one could ever hurt her there."

"Thank you." Edward about-faced to his chair. "Your witness, counselor."

Bella sat with her hands steepled atop her desk, her mind adrift. So much of this trial had surprised her, Edward's stubbornness being chief on that list. Billy's appearance had been a strong second, until he confessed his little secret.

His tribe was descended from wolves.

Vampire-killing, shape-shifting wolves to be exact.

"Ms. Swan?" Rosalie's voice broke through her distracted trance. "Are you ready to question your witness?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Bella closed her notebook and made her way to the witness stand with no idea what to say. "Elder Black…"

"Please call me Billy." He was still apologetic. "If it would please the court."

Rosalie shrugged. "If you like it, I love it."

Bella stifled a roll of her eyes. "Billy, are you saying you and the rest of the tribe would protect me from Victoria, no questions asked?"

"It is what we were born to do."

"Is that a yes?"

He started at her tone. "Yes."

"Can you speak for those lovely young men who earlier graced us with their presence?"

Billy stiffened. "They will do what is in the best interest of the tribe."

"And is it in the best interest of the tribe to have a vampire-loving human amongst their ranks?"

"That human," Billy said tightly, "will eventually see reason and come to accept the truth about the so-called love of her life."

"And what truth is that?"

"That he is no good for you." Billy's voice hardened. "That your very proximity to him could result in your death, and no teenage crush is worth that."

"Do you remember when I went to the hospital this year?" Bella asked. "When Charlie left work early because I was in a car accident?"

"Yes." Billy shook his head. "We were so worried."

"What did Charlie tell you?"

"That you were nearly crushed to death by a van."

"Well." Bella folded her arms. "Edward saved me."

Billy snorted. "Yeah, right."

"He raced across the parking lot in front of the entire student body to save me when the…"

"Objection," Edward called from behind her. "It was not the entire student body. At least fifty students were inside the building, and another twenty had yet to arrive."

"Seriously?" Alice sighed, earning a look from Rosalie. "Sorry."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, though Bella suspected Edward was her target. "Sustained," the judge said dryly. "Rephrase, Ms. Swan."

"Edward raced across the parking lot in front of everyone who saw him and saved me from Tyler's van. Did you know that?"

"No, because it's a lie," Billy huffed. "Exposing his secret to the human population is a violation of vampire law. He would never do that for any reason."

"I was the reason." Bella's voice warmed with pride. "He did that, risked everything, to save me. Does that change your opinion of him?"

"No."

"What about the time he saved me from four would-be rapists in Port Angeles?"

"What?" Billy cried. "Charlie didn't tell me that!"

"Charlie didn't know." Bella shrugged. "And because Edward was there to save me, again, there was really nothing to tell."

"You are proving my point," Billy insisted. "Your proximity to him puts you in constant danger."

"Edward and I were barely friends when Tyler's van careened out of control, and I was shopping with my human friends when those humanmen corralled me. How is that Edward's fault?"

"You should stay away from him regardless," Billy said. "You are safer without him."

"So you would rather me be crushed to death by a van or gang-raped by a drunken quartet than be with Edward?"

Rosalie shifted in her chair, her eyes harsh as she looked at Billy.

"Of course not!" he cried. "What kind of monster would that make me?"

Bella looked him in the eye. "The kind of monster you believe Edward to be."

Billy did not reply, and Bella let the silence drag on until it became almost uncomfortable.

"You say your tribe can protect me from Victoria," Bella continued. "Where were you the first time?"

"What?"

"The first time Victoria and her friends crossed my path in the spring. If the tribe is called is to protect humans from vampires, why didn't you protect me then?"

"We, uh…" Billy cleared his throat. "We didn't know she was here then."

"And how far does your jurisdiction extend?" Bella asked. "Can you protect me in school?"

"That could be arranged."

"At work?"

"Sure."

"And what if I visit my mom in Florida?"

Billy rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, well…"

"And what about college? I might go to Dartmouth, the University of Alaska, or backpack across Europe for six months. Could your tribe protect me there?"

Billy rolled his eyes. "We can't follow you all over creation, Bella."

"He could." Bella pointed at Edward. "He could and he would."

"If that were true," Billy sneered, "we wouldn't be here, would we?"

Esme gasped, and Emmett shook his head. "Damn."

Bella closed her eyes briefly, resetting her feelings. "Tell me more about shape shifting."

Billy was smug now, so he leaned back in his chair. "What about it?"

"How does it happen?"

"If a vampire crosses our path between adolescence and the end of our teenage years, then the magic is quickened and…"

"No, no." Bella waved her hand. "I apologize for interrupting, but that's not what I meant. I mean, once a tribesman realizes he has the power to change, how does it occur? I know it isn't automatic around vampires because it didn't happen earlier."

"Correct."

"So how does it happen?"

"There needs to be a feeling of immediate danger," Billy said. "Under that threat, the change happens in mere seconds."

"Is that the only time?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Is that the only time the change can happen?"

Billy looked away. "I don't understand the question."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "Elder Black, you are under oath and not a simpleton. I am asking if the metamorphosis from man to wolf only happens when a tribesman feels threatened by a vampire."

Billy muttered something under his breath, and Bella sighed. "Your Honor?"

"Elder Black," Rosalie said, "You are instructed to answer aloud where everyone can hear you."

"No."

Rosalie cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"No, that is not the only time the change can occur."

Rosalie gradually retracted her glare, nodding for Bella to continue.

"Elder Black, under what additional circumstances can the transformation occur?"

"That depends."

When he did not elaborate, Bella fought the urge to slap him. "On?"

"On the person."

Bella threw up her hands. "Your Honor, I cannot continue under these…"

"Stop toying with her," Edward murmured from his seat. "Remember why you came."

Billy glared at Edward but huffed in resignation. "Anger."

"What?" Bella asked.

"When a tribesman becomes angry, the change can happen as a consequence."

"Even if there's no vampiric threat?"

Billy nodded curtly.

"Please answer aloud, Elder Black."

"Yes."

Bella noticed how his eyes keep darting behind him, his fingers restless on the arms of his wheelchair. "And what happens when that happens?"

"It, uh…" He cleared his throat. "It takes a bit longer for the wolf to calm down long enough to change back into a human, but otherwise there's no lingering effect."

"Has anyone ever been hurt?"

"What?"

"As the result of a spontaneous change," Bella said slowly, "has anyone ever been hurt?"

Billy looked beyond Bella, his eyes widening.

"I asked you a question," Bella said.

There was a long beat of silence, then three things happened at once.

Edward's hands slammed on his desk. "What?"

Billy winced. "It was an accident."

"His own mate?" Edward roared.

At his second outburst, Bella whirled around to where Edward sat, but he was no longer there. A fragrant gust of wind passed on her right side, and she followed it to the witness stand where Emmett tackled it to the ground.

The beautiful blur Bella loved.

Rosalie banged the gavel on the wooden block, its cadence barely audible over Edward's growling. "Get him out of here!"

"I don't want to hurt you, Emmett." The malice in Edward's voice raked across Bella's skin, peppering it with goosebumps. "Let. Me. Go."

Emmett cinched Edward's arms behind his back as Carlisle arrived to help. "Can't do that, bro."

Edward's breathing became shallow, his body trembling with fury. "I'm warning you."

"Think of Bella, son." Carlisle's calm voice belied the intensity of his efforts to grab Edward's flailing legs. "She does not need to see this."

"Maybe she does!" Billy snarled from his chair. "Maybe if she sees the truth, she will come to her senses and stop living in some childlike fantasy world!"

Edward thrashed against his brother and father. "Don't talk about her!"

"Billy, shut up!" Bella cried. "Edward, please. Calm down and tell me what's…"

"Now, Emmett!" Rosalie said again. "Esme, restrain the plaintiff."

Bella belatedly caught her meaning. "Wait, what?"

By the time of her next blink, Bella was enveloped in the cage-like embrace of the Cullen matriarch, her soothing voice having little effect on Bella's nerves. She watched with her heart in her throat as Emmett and Carlisle dragged a livid Edward from the courtroom by its rear doors. Though the ruckus continued outside, the silence in the room was deafening as the trio departed, leaving nothing but questions in their wake.

When Bella looked toward the bench, Rosalie wiped her brow with a loud sigh. "I think we need a recess."

**I think so too. We'll reconvene in say, about two weeks? ;-) **


	16. Chapter 16: Paternal Patience

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Hello, friends! *waving wildly* Between my hubby's flu, two kids' back-to-school festivities, and a slew of appointments, I barely had time to sleep and eat this week. Things are calming down, so I'll be on a soft two-week posting schedule.  
**

**Most of you guessed what set Edward off but couldn't figure out why Bella was restrained. Let's see if we can figure it out...  
**

**Chapter 16: Paternal Patience**

**Carlisle's POV**

"Hold off on that recess, Rosalie," Carlisle said as the doors closed behind him. "And kindly await my instructions."

Rosalie announced her agreement to the court, causing Bella to ask more questions. Carlisle tuned them out, hating the thought of paining his newest daughter further.

"I just wanted to look hot in my uniform for Rosie," Emmett groused as they dragged Edward down the hall, around the corner, and down the stairs. "I didn't know I'd be doing double-duty as a bouncer."

"Emmett." Carlisle shook his head, and his brawny son fell silent.

But Edward felt no such urge.

"Put me down!" he roared as Carlisle gripped his legs with enough force to snap them in two. "Now!"

"Here is fine," Carlisle said as Emmett kicked open the wide metal door no human would be strong enough to move.

"Let me go!" Edward cried again.

"Gladly," Emmett muttered, tossing Edward across the large, empty room into the opposite wall. Edward came immediately to his feet, his nostrils flared as he eyed the door behind Emmett.

But the latter had his sleeves rolled up and was staring him down. "I'd love to see you try."

"I need to get back up there," Edward said.

"You're not going anywhere, son." Carlisle stepped around Emmett, clasping his hands in front of him. "Not until we have a talk."

"I don't have time to talk!" Edward's voice bounced off the wall of the chamber, amplifying its agitation. "He's up there with her, and he…"

"He?" Emmett shouted.

"Billy Black!"

Emmett looked at Carlisle before stepping into Edward's space. "Billy Black isn't the problem here." He poked his brother in the chest with an accusing finger. "You are."

Before Edward could reply, Jasper burst into the room, his golden eyes burning with fury. "You want to tell us what the hell that was about?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't have time to…"

"You better make the time!" Jasper would have been nose-to-nose with Edward if not for Emmett serving as a barrier. "It is bad enough you insist on this farce of a trial, but to terrify Bella with your…"

"Terrify?" Edward looked between Jasper and Carlisle. "What do you mean?"

Jasper raised his hand as if to strike him then dragged it down his face instead. "What I mean is you scared the ever-lovin' shit out of Bella! What I mean is I nearly passed out trying to calm her down. Why do you think Rosalie asked Esme to restrain her?"

Edward turned to Emmett. "She had Bella restrained?"

Jasper threw up his hands, walking away. "Fucking clueless," he muttered as Carlisle took over.

Carlisle thought of asking Jasper to tone down his language, but he understood the latter's need to safely expel his agitation, so he turned instead to Edward, harnessing the best of his paternal patience.

"Rosalie asked Esme to restrain Bella to keep her from following you. Like the rest of us, Bella has no idea what set you off. But unlike the rest of us, her instinct to comfort kicks in when she sees you in distress."

"The rest of us just want to kick your ass," Emmett added.

"Seeing you in such a state would serve no good purpose," Carlisle continued, "so Rosalie asked Esme to keep Bella upstairs—away from you—until you calm down."

Edward barked a laugh, startling them all. "This just gets better and better."

Carlisle frowned. "Bella's worried about you, yes. But she's also confused and anxious because she needs answers. So you need to explain yourself so Esme can explain this to her."

"And she will," Jasper warned. "Word-for-word."

Edward turned away from his brothers, running his hands through his hair. His head dropped to his chest as he pinched the bridge his nose. "This is all my fault."

"No shit," Emmett and Jasper said without missing a beat.

Carlisle ignored them. "What do you mean?"

Edward sighed, the sound carrying every bit of his torment with it. "I asked Billy to come, thinking he and the wolves could protect Bella from Victoria. To my knowledge, she doesn't know of their existence and would be no match for them even with Laurent's help should he prove untrustworthy."

"Go on," Carlisle said.

Edward paused, and Emmett opened his mouth to speak, but Carlisle raised his hand to stop him. For all Edward's gifts and insights into human nature, he was slow to understand the folly of his own ways. And admitting those failings was akin to tossing himself on a raging pyre.

"But she would not be safe there," he said.

"Why not?" Carlisle asked.

Edward's hand clenched at his sides as he turned around, his blackened eyes falling short of meeting his father's. "Sam, the oldest of the two from earlier. He has a mate, Emily. And…"

Carlisle stepped forward. "Yes?"

"There was an incident."

Jasper and Emmett glanced at each other. "What kind of incident?" Emmett asked.

Edward met his gaze, his brows furrowed in fury. "The kind that leaves a young girl permanently scarred because she fell in love with the wrong man."

Jasper's eyes narrowed. "You mean 'scarred' as in…"

"As in scars, Jasper!" Edward snapped. "The ones you have on your body are love bites compared to the abomination on that sweet girl's face."

Carlisle reply was cut off by the sound of Bella gasping upstairs. "Is that true?" she asked Billy.

"It was an accident," the elder replied, and Carlisle noted the remorse in his tone. "Sam feels terrible."

"Not as terrible as Emily does, I'm sure," Edward spat as his ire rekindled.

"How did it happen?" Bella asked, her heartbeat picking up speed as she spoke.

"She's fine," Jasper said before Edward could ask. "Just give her a minute."

"Esme, let Bella go," Carlisle said softly.

There was a beat of silence then Bella's muted thanks to Esme. "Billy, please answer the question," Bella said, her voice stronger.

The entire building was quiet save Billy's answering sigh. "To answer that adequately, I need to tell you about another aspect of Quileute life."

"Do whatever you need to do." Bella's footsteps echoed above them, presumably as she approached the witness stand. "But make me understand."

"With the ability to transform comes another change to your natural design," Billy explained. "Shifters find their life partners, mates as you call them, by imprinting."

"Which is?" Bella asked.

"It is what happens a man sees that certain woman the first time." Billy's voice deepened with respect. "It is as if she eclipses all else in the world, and that man, no matter what happens from that day forward, will live and die for her pleasure. He will be her friend, her comforter, and ultimately, hopefully, her life partner."

"Okay," Bella said slowly. "Keep going."

"Sam was dating Emily's cousin Leah at the time. But when he saw Emily," Billy sighed. "Leah ceased to exist. He didn't want to leave Leah, but he imprinted on Emily. The choice was no longer his."

"How did Emily respond?" Bella asked after a moment.

"This is a bunch of melodramatic nonsense," Emmett cried. "How did Sam come to hurt Emily?"

"Wait," Edward said gravely. "He's getting to that."

"… were like sisters," Billy was saying, "but Sam's imprinting destroyed that. He pursued Emily despite her advances but to no avail."

His voice lost its luster, and he spoke more slowly. "One day Emily demanded he go back to Leah. When he refused, Emily accused of him of being a liar just like his father." Billy swallowed. "Sam flew into a rage and transformed on the spot, lashing out at her."

Bella's horrified gasp spoke for them all. "What happened?"

"I could have helped," Carlisle said as Billy described the gashes in Emily's face. "The Quileute hospital isn't sufficient to handle such a difficult case. That's why the scars are so bad."

"Her boyfriend attacked her," Edward said sharply. "That's why the scars are so bad."

"My god," Bella sighed in the courtroom. "How did she… I mean, is she okay?"

"She's mending, thank you for asking," Billy said. "And they're working things out."

"Emily and Leah?"

"No, Emily and Sam."

Bella's heart rate increased again. "Working what out exactly?"

"You know." Billy waved a hand. "Their relationship."

"Relationship?" Bella cried. "So he forced her to stay with him?"

"No," Billy said. "She made that choice on her own."

"But why would she do that?"

Billy's voice hardened. "For the same reason you're fighting to stay with a leech."

"Your Honor." Bella's rising anger was palpable to them all. "I am done with this witness."

Carlisle looked at Edward who had banished himself to the corner of the room, balancing on the balls of his feet with his hands in his hair. "I think Edward's finished with him too, Rosalie," Carlisle said. "Best dismiss him."

"Very well," Rosalie said aloud for Bella and Billy's benefit. "Elder Black, you may step down."

Carlisle nodded toward the door. "Emmett, go bailiff. Jasper, go… be Jasper."

Both boys nodded, sparing a sympathetic glance for their cowering brother. Jasper stared at him, causing Edward to shiver. "Save your assistance for someone who deserves it," he muttered. "Like Bella."

"She wouldn't want to see you like this," Jasper said as he quit the room. "If you can't straighten up for yourself, do it for her."

"Everything I'm doing is for her, and it's all going to shit!"

He dropped his head again, and Carlisle waved Jasper from the room. He waited for the boys to reach the main level before taking a deep breath and approaching his son. It tore him up inside to watch Edward torture himself, and he had reached his limit.

Enough was enough.

"Edward." Carlisle's tone made him look up. "It is time to end this."

"What do you think I've been…"

"Stop." Carlisle dropped to the balls of his feet, looking Edward in the eye. "Just stop."

Edward sighed, cradling his head in his hands. "I'm tired, Carlisle."

"I know, son." Carlisle laid a cautious hand on Edward's knee. "So let's not do this anymore."

"What would you propose I do?"

"What Bella asked."

Edward frowned at his father until Carlisle fed him the answer in his mind. He shoved his father's hand away, throwing him off balance as he came to his feet, snarling. "That's your big plan? Save her from a red-eyed monster by turning her into one?"

Carlisle brushed the soot from his pants undeterred. "Bella does not see it that way."

"She's a barely-legal human," Edward spat. "She doesn't know what she wants."

"Yes, she does. And that's what scares you."

Edward whirled around. "What?"

"Bella is sure of you." Carlisle stepped forward, his eyes intent on his son. "Surer of you than you are of yourself. It terrifies you to think someone could love and want you that much when you don't even love yourself."

"I…" Edward closed his eyes and shook his head. "This is not about me."

"It sure feels like it is." Carlisle folded his arms. "_You _ decided to leave Bella after that horrifying accident at the house. _You _decided to lie about your feelings and include us in the charade under the guise of keeping her safe. And _you _will not make the obvious, logical choice to change her, despite her very clear feelings on the subject. If this entire process is not about you, then what is it about?"

"You…" Edward turned away again, muttering under his breath. "I cannot condemn her to this life! It would be selfish and wrong."

"So am I selfish and wrong for changing Esme?" Carlisle asked. "Did Rosalie condemn Emmett by changing him?"

"They were dying!"

"But by your logic, they are condemned by the change and forever prevented from spending eternity with their savior. By your logic, it would have been selfless and right to let them die."

Edward raked his hands through his hair again. "It's not the same with Bella."

"Why? Because she chose you and you have no soul?" Carlisle laughed without humor. "I thought this wasn't about you."

Edward ground his teeth. "You're twisting my words."

"I don't have to twist your words," Carlisle replied gently. "They are twisted when they leave your mouth."

"We are not having this discussion! Bella will never become one of us, and that is the end of that!"

"Do I get a say?"

Carlisle and Edward were stunned to find Bella standing in the open doorway, neither having noticed her approach. Her eyes were moist and seeking as they landed on Edward, and Carlisle wondered how his son could miss what was right in front of him.

Bella was everything he needed and more.

As if hearing Carlisle's thoughts, Bella turned to him with a half-smile. "May I have a word alone with Edward, please?"

"Of course." Carlisle ignored the panicked look from his son, patting Bella's shoulder as he reached her. "Take all the time you need."

He quit the room and proceeded up the stairs, praying as he walked. Though lacking in supernatural gifts, Carlisle was well-versed in love and life. And he knew enough to know Edward had lost sight of the one and was about to permanently destroy the other.

Unless Bella found a way to stop him.

**What on earth will Bella say? Find out in two weeks! xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17: Confronting Mr Masen

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**Ya know, two weeks is an awfully long time to have you waiting… You're welcome! XO**

**Chapter 17: Confronting Mr. Masen**

**Bella's POV**

As Billy's shocking testimony filled the courtroom, Bella realized two things.

Edward made a serious error thinking the tribe could protect her.

And he was somewhere in this building berating himself for it.

When Rosalie dismissed the Quileute elder, he'd tried to apologize, but Bella waved him off. There was nothing he could say she wanted to hear.

She only wanted to see Edward.

Coming to her feet to request a recess, Bella turned at the sound of the rear doors opening again. Emmett entered first, half-smiling at Rosalie who visibly relaxed at the sight of him. Bella scanned her biggest brother for clues to her beloved's mindset, but he refused to look her way.

Jasper, though the emotional expert, was less circumspect. So when Bella fed him all the anxiety she could muster, the sadness in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

And what she needed to do.

She stepped from behind her desk without a word and exited the courtroom. The sound of raised voices provided her destination, and she moved quickly, not wanting to be intercepted and asked to go away. By rights, she should have been—and in some ways was—ready to throttle Edward for his determination to leave her. But love seldom gave the luxury of logic, and no matter how frustrated she was, ignoring his pain was something of which she could never be capable.

As she proceeded to the lower level she hadn't known existed, the heated exchange only hastened her steps. Carlisle meant well and always had, but this was not his fight.

It was hers, and she was ready.

But Edward, from the look of it, was not. And even after Carlisle's footsteps faded into silence, he kept his eyes on the door, the ceiling, the wall. Everywhere but on Bella. He'd done this only one other time, two days ago, and she was not letting him get away with it again.

"Avoiding my eyes won't make me disappear," she said.

At the sound of her voice, he glanced at her so quickly, the average human would have missed it.

But Bella was no average human.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" she asked.

"Doing what?" he murmured, the sound of his voice turning her inside out.

She pointed to the wall behind him. "I didn't think structural damage was your style."

"That was Emmett. He dropped me."

Bella wondered how Emmett could drop Edward sideways and into a wall but did not ask. "How are you?"

Edward barked a laugh. "You came all the way down here to ask me that?"

"Is that your answer?"

Her easy tone forced his eyes to hers again, and he shook his head. "I don't know why I bother," he said sadly.

"And I don't know what that means."

"It doesn't matter." He straightened up, expelling a harsh breath through his nose. "We need to return to the courtroom."

"Not until we have a conversation."

Edward looked toward the ceiling then regarded her with even eyes. "There is nothing to say."

Bella folded her arms. "Your voice travels, you know."

"What?"

"In these old hallways, your voice travels. So you can look at me now with all the indifference you can muster. You can snort and sigh and try to dazzle me with your best lies." She stepped toward him, watching his eyes darken. "But I heard you with Carlisle, the passion you couldn't hide, your agony and longing. So this, whatever it is, I'm not buying." They were almost nose-to-nose. "So let's stop with the games and subterfuge and get real."

He stiffened, closing his mouth, and she realized he was not breathing. "You're standing too close."

"I belong to you," she said calmly. "There is no such place."

"Bella, please."

She leaned closer. "Please what?"

His eyes dropped to her mouth, his tongue darting out to lick his own lips. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't do something now you'll feel foolish for later."

She reared back, cocking an eyebrow. "Like calling on my enemy to do what I should be doing myself?"

His eyes widened, and he turned away. "You're wasting the court's time. I have more witnesses to call."

"For what purpose?" She followed him as he paced. "Are you really going to ask Jasper to debase himself by discussing the other night? Or was the plan to ask him how I felt while the six of you drooled venom at the sight of my bleeding arm?"

"Stop," Edward ground out.

"And on cross-examination, would you have objected when he confirmed my love is every bit as strong as yours? That he feels no difference between our bond and that between the other three Cullen pairs? That ours is somehow stronger?"

"That's impossible," he snorted. "You're human."

"Yes." Bella stepped in front of him. "I'm human and clumsy and stubborn and a host of other things. But guess what? You're immortal and moody and patronizing and hard-headed beyond what the change did to your skin. We're both a mess, all of us flawed in unique ways. But love is…"

"Don't talk to me about love!" His outburst startled her, but she hid it well. "Love is a poor excuse for making selfish choices. Love leads to death which leads to suffering and loss, and…"

"_Our_ love would lead to life if you would let it! A blissful, beautiful life with eternity as our playground. We would never be separated, never endure goodbye, never have to…"

"What about Charlie?"

"Charlie lived without me most of my life. He would survive my loss again."

"And Renee?"

"She has Phil."

"Your friends?"

"Angela and I would likely lose touch a few years after high school anyway." She shrugged. "And every other mortal I could live without. Next?"

He turned away again, and this time she did not follow. She studied his posture—his rounded shoulders, his hunched back and limp limbs—and sighed.

"This is killing you," she whispered. "Killing both of us, and it does not have to be this way."

"But it is this way," he replied as softly. "It is and shall remain this way."

"It does not have to be this way," she repeated. "If I were like you, then…"

"That will never happen!" He was in her face before she could blink. "Why do you not accept this?"

"Why do you not accept my choice?" she countered. "Why do you insist on pushing me away and denying us both the happiness we so desire?"

Edward turned away with a roar so loud Bella's heart skipped a beat. He pounded his fists into the far wall, muttering and moaning with an agony that pierced her soul. Every instinct in her body warned her to flee, but she remained, bearing intimate witness to his self-inflicted pain.

"Edward, please." Her voice was a breath, but she knew he heard her. "Put an end to this torture and let me in. We can disappear tonight, go to Alaska or Norway or New Zealand, and begin our new lives together. Carlisle can do it if you're not strong enough, then there will be no…"

"No."

"No?" His tone confused her. "Would you like to do it yourself?"

"No, that's…" He shook his head, his voice dead and flat. "The answer is no and will always be no. You are not changing. I am not staying. There is nothing more to be said."

Bella stood silent and watched him, her heart steeling itself as it absorbed his words. As she watched and waited, waited and watched, she flipped through her counterarguments, searching for the right one.

And when it finally, surprisingly dawned on her, she blew out a resolved breath and made her way upstairs. She entered the courtroom with a slow and steady step, passing her desk and stopping in front of the judge's bench.

"Your Honor, I have something to say." She clasped her hands in front of her. "If it please the court."

Rosalie looked toward the defendant's empty desk. "Ms. Swan, I'm afraid you must wait until Mr. Masen returns."

"I'm afraid that might not be possible, Your Honor," Bella said. "So if I might be granted the…"

"I am here." Edward interrupted her softly. "My apologies for the unforeseeable delay."

The rush of air at her back suggested Edward sped to his seat, and Bella willed herself not to react. "May I proceed?"

Rosalie nodded. "The floor is yours, Ms. Swan."

"Thank you." Bella squared her shoulders and met the judge's eyes. "I withdraw my petition."

Esme and Emmett gasped, and Rosalie right along with them. "What do you mean, Ms. Swan?"

"I no longer wish to pursue this matter in court or otherwise." Her voice was strong and even. "I thank the court and all witnesses for their time, but I am dropping the case against Mr. Masen."

Rosalie glanced between Bella and Edward, incredulity painted across her face. "Any objection, Mr. Masen?" she asked after a moment.

Bella barely heard his reply, but she knew what it was. Rosalie regarded her with sad eyes and steepled her hands. "Very well, Ms. Swan. The case against Mr. Masen is officially…"

"And eternally," Bella added.

Rosalie paused then nodded. "Officially and eternally dropped, and this court is therefore adjourned." With another long look at Bella, Rosalie tapped the gavel on the wooden block one last time.

The fatal sound echoed through the silent chamber until Emmett belatedly spoke. "All rise."

Rosalie exited through the judge's door, and Bella felt six of the remaining pairs of eyes on her. She gathered her things and proceeded out of the courtroom without a word or a glance to anyone.

Slinging her bag onto the passenger seat, Bella rummaged through it and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and sent a four-word text message to the only person who needed one.

"_Don't say a word."_

She waited a beat for the reply.

"_I promise."_

Bella tossed the phone back into her bag, stuck the key in the ignition, and peeled out of the parking lot, hoping she wasn't too late.

**The next update will likely be late next week, but who knows? I'm feeling inspired! **

**What do you think?**


	18. Chapter 18: At Home with Chief Swan

**Disclaimer: SM still owns everything in the Twiverse. I own nothing.**

**The end of the trial was a surprise, right? Lots of good guesses about Bella's next move... Let's see who was right!**

**Chapter 18: At Home with Chief Swan**

**Charlie's POV**

Charlie Swan was a simple man. He worked hard, played on occasion, and considered a cold beer and a good game the main ingredients for a perfect day. Though he had things he wished were different, aspects of his personality he wished to change, he was a man whose life always made sense.

Until Bella moved back home.

Though never the paternal sort, he was glad his only child wanted to spend her remaining high school days with him. Sure, the reasons were more about liberating her flighty mother than deepening their relationship, but Charlie was grateful nonetheless. Her presence added sparkle and spice to his otherwise predictable days, and most of the time he enjoyed the diversion.

Charlie had done his best at Frank's house, given the man had little technical skill and was literally a few wrenches short of a tool set. After setting the anchoring posts in the ground, Frank's wife appeared at the backdoor with an antiquing emergency. In love and enthusiastic, Frank declared them finished for the day and said they'd pick up again next weekend.

Charlie planned to have a headache by then.

With a free day open in front of him, Charlie popped in the Diner for his favorite breakfast platter to go and headed home, planning to enjoy opening day of the college football season in his favorite chair and in peace.

He pulled into his driveway, surprised to find Bella's truck there. Though she hadn't so much as mentioned Edward's name in a few days, he assumed they'd be together celebrating her birthday in what he hoped was a chaste manner.

But when he opened the front door and heard his daughter stomping and rummaging upstairs, his mind flashed to her late night exodus in April, and his heart clenched.

"_Not again." _

"Bells?" He cleared his throat to hide his anxiety. "Is everything okay?"

The commotion upstairs came to a halt. "Dad?" The reply was muffled until she opened the door. "I thought you were at Frank's today."

"We finished early." Charlie proceeded up the stairs. "What are you…"

"Could you give me a minute?" Bella held up a finger. "I'll, uh… I'll be right down to talk to you."

Talk. The real four-letter word to any man.

"Sure thing," Charlie replied. "I'll be in the living room."

"Great, thanks."

She shut the door, and Charlie remained at the foot of the stairs long enough to feel foolish for worrying. For all he knew, Edward had some big surprise planned and she was conjuring up the nerve to ask Charlie's permission to spend the rest of the weekend with the Cullens.

Yes, that had to be it.

The thought of Bella being anywhere but under his roof overnight made him profoundly uncomfortable, but Charlie forced himself to relax. After all, the Cullens were respectable people, Bella was eighteen, and aside from that misunderstanding last spring, Edward had done nothing to hurt his daughter.

That in itself was noteworthy.

So as he set his breakfast on the coffee table, Charlie decided to grant his daughter's request. Even if he didn't trust Edward as far as he could throw him—owning mainly to his status as "able-bodied male interested in Bella"—he trusted his daughter. And it was time he showed her just how much. Satisfied, Charlie grabbed the remote and prepared to watch the Gators and Tigers square off.

The announcers were dissecting defenses in the SEC when Charlie's cell phone rang in his pocket. Charlie wasn't expecting any calls, and with Bella upstairs, he considered letting it go to voicemail. But a check of the Caller ID found him answering the phone with a smile.

"You're just in time. College kickoff is about to start."

"Is it?" Billy's voice was subdued. "I thought it was next weekend."

"Nope, it's today. Now in fact." Charlie sipped his coffee. "What's wrong? You don't sound well."

Billy didn't answer right away, and Charlie muted the television. "Are you having a flare up? Do you need me to grab you some…"

"No, nothing like that." Billy sighed. "I just… sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing."

"About what?"

"A lot of things. The tribe, my health, Jacob."

Charlie sat up. "Did something happen with Jake?"

"No, thank goodness. But…" Billy hesitated. "Do you ever worry about Bella?"

"Bella?"

"You know, her choices, her future. Your responsibility to guide her in those areas?"

"Every father worth his salt worries about that sometimes. But Bella knows herself better than I do. I mean, she was practically a woman when she got here, so I don't want to assume the right to dictate what she does, where she goes."

"Who she dates," Billy added.

Charlie grimaced. "Are you going to start that crap about the Cullens now?"

"No, I've had enough of that for one day."

"What does that mean?"

"That I've been in tense conversations about unpleasant subjects for most of the morning. I don't want to have one with you."

"Fair enough. But as I said, Bella's romantic decisions are hers to make and I respect them."

"Even if you think she's choosing wrong?"

Charlie heard Bella's bedroom door open. "I will always think she's choosing wrong because God hasn't created a man good enough for her. But if she can live with her choice, then the best I can do is support and respect it, whatever it is."

Bella's heavy footfalls sounded on the stairs. "Speaking of my daughter, she just came in and wants to talk to me."

"She's home?"

"Yes." Charlie chuckled. "I know Jake lives outdoors with his friends these days, but my daughter still comes home on occasion."

Billy's laugh was short and forced. "Does she seem…"

"Billy, I'll catch up with you later, okay?" Bella was standing at the threshold. "You can come catch the late game if you want."

"Right. I'll let you know."

"Good enough." Charlie set down the closed phone and smiled up at his daughter. "That was Billy."

The color seemed to drain from Bella's cheeks. "What did he say?"

"Don't worry." Charlie smiled. "I cut him off before he started in on the Cullens."

"Oh, good." Bella visibly relaxed and made her way to the couch. "That's good to…"

"I assume that's what you want to talk to me about," Charlie said. "The Cullens?"

Bella hovered over the seat, gaping at her father. He looked between Bella and the cushion, a smirk about his lips. "You know, it's more comfortable if your butt actually touches the seat."

Bella blinked and sat down, her hands folded atop her denim-clad knees. "Um, yes. I do want to talk to you about the Cullens."

"And your birthday, right?"

Bella's eyes widened. "Yes, actually. How'd you know?"

"I've been observant once or twice in my life." Charlie pointed a thumb at his chest. "Chief of Police here."

"Right." Bella picked lint off her dark blue hoodie and cleared her throat. "Well, as you know, the Cullens threw me a birthday party the other day. I told them not to, but they're big on birthdays and wanted to make it special for me, so…"

Charlie held up a hand. "You don't have to say anything else. I know what this is about, and it's fine."

"It is?"

"Sure. The way things are with you and Edward right now, I expected this last night."

"You did?"

Charlie shook his head. "Do I really seem that clueless?"

"No." Bella's smile was awkward. "I just… wow. So you're cool with this?"

"Cool as a fan." Charlie grinned then became serious. "As long as there's at least one parent present…"

"Yes, definitely." Bella blinked at her father before popping off the couch and giving him a big hug. "Thanks, Dad. You don't know how much I need this right now."

Charlie patted her back. "I don't know what kind of hard-ass you think I am, but it's your birthday weekend. You should enjoy it however you can."

Bella kissed his cheek then bounded up the stairs. Charlie shook his head and unmuted the television, hoping his waffles and sausage hadn't gotten too cold.

One long offensive Gator drive later, Bella came downstairs with an overnight bag slung over her shoulders. She glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. "I hope I'm not late."

"I wouldn't worry." Charlie sipped his juice. "I'm sure they'll wait for you."

"I don't really think that's how airports operate, but thank you for…"

Charlie spit out his juice. "Airport? You're going to the airport?"

"Of course." Bella opened the front door. "How else would I get to Florida?"

"Florida?" Charlie was on his feet and hard on her heels. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Dad." Bella reached for the handle on the driver's side. "The Cullens gave me round-trip tickets to see Mom for my birthday, and I'm going to use one."

"Right now?

"No time like the present." Bella started as her father grabbed her open door. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out what _you're _doing!"

"You just gave me permission to do what I'm doing."

"I thought you were heading to the Cullens for some special birthday surprise of Edward's!"

Bella's bitter laugh surprised Charlie so much he released the door. "Hardly."

Charlie paused. "So things with Edward aren't…"

"This is not about Edward, Dad." She closed the door and looked at her father. "This is about me missing mom and wanting to see her for my birthday. Is that too much to ask?"

Though her voice was calm and even, Charlie heard something else within it. Something she did not want to acknowledge or discuss. And as his earlier words to Billy echoed in his mind, Charlie stepped away from the truck, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Call me when you get there."

Bella's eyes lit up but briefly, and she nodded as she stuck the key in the ignition. Charlie turned back toward the house, college football the furthest thing from his mind.

"Hey, Dad?"

Charlie turned around. "Yeah?"

A dozen emotions played across Bella's face before she settled on a small smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Bells. Be careful."

"I will."

Bella backed out of the driveway and tapped the horn twice. With a brief wave, Charlie watched his daughter drive down the street and away from Forks for the second time this year.

And as he reentered the front door, he feared the second time would be her last.

**Soooo curious to hear what you're thinking right now. Lay it on me! xoxo**


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